Friedrich Nietzsche stated "That which does not kill us makes us stronger." Admittedly he had a somewhat pessimistic life view, but nothing nails down classroom education as well as the subsequent experiences obtained from applying that education. I spent nearly 18 years of a 24-year military career in some form of training, either doing it or having it done to me, and all of that education just laid the foundation for the real learning. I wouldn't have survived the latter without the former, but I think we tend to put too much value on the classroom part.
Maybe it's a nuclear engineering paranoia, but I also think that you learn NOTHING when events go according to plan. In fact it's worse than that. You actually begin to believe that you're in control of a plan and you tend to overlook Murphy's Law-- you actually get dumber when things go well. So my most educational moments have happened during the worst times of my life.
Anyone care to cite specific examples to affirm or contrast with this opinion?
Maybe it's a nuclear engineering paranoia, but I also think that you learn NOTHING when events go according to plan. In fact it's worse than that. You actually begin to believe that you're in control of a plan and you tend to overlook Murphy's Law-- you actually get dumber when things go well. So my most educational moments have happened during the worst times of my life.
Anyone care to cite specific examples to affirm or contrast with this opinion?