Why aren't you a polymath user?
A true seeker of knowledge should explore and be knowledgeable in various fields.
Have you composed a Nocturne?
Have you ever written a Sonett?
Did you ever contribute to a scientific field?
Do you speak more than one language?
If you answered no to all of these questions, why even live?
What the fuck is a polymath
There's just too much to know nowadays, it's good to have a wide spread of knowledge but you'll have to accept that you'll probably never be anything close to an expert in more than one.
>sonett
you mean a sonnet?
To many things that take way to long to even be decent at these days, we just dont live long enough
Yeah, my retarded autocorrect thought I meant the word in my language
>People who are composers, writers, scientists and philosophers at the same time suddenly stopped existing when these anons were born
Working on it. Majoring in math and philosophy and I'm doing Latin for my foreign language.
I try. At times I feel it's just cope for dropping certain interests when I get bored, but then why study something if you're neither interested in it nor getting paid to know it?
>tfw no nocturne
;_;
I speak 4 languages and I'll probably write a poem at some point (once I've studied the theory of how to use metric). I think I'm too old to learn to play the piano.
It's impossible to be a polymath in the modern age. The last person to master all of mathematics was Hilbert, so how can you be a master of several fields when you can't even master one?
You don't have to master them user.
Being a polymath literally means having a wide knowledge of things.
For example you can hold a conversation with a musician because you play an instrument at a sophisticated enough level yourself, but you also can discuss quantum mechanics on at least a decent level with a physicist.
It does not mean you are better than both the physicist or the musician in their respective fields.
Basically:
If "I'm only good at this one thing" applies to you, you fucked up
I am trying, user. I’m self-studying law right now and I’d like to pass the Bar eventually. I don’t actually want to practice law but passing that test will be proof I’ve made it.
It's great that you are motivated user, keep going
Je vais même pas citer guénon pour éviter l'avc à l'auteur
I on the path, albeit I still have much, much to learn.
>sculpting
>playing the flute and eyeing the guitar
>speak Portuguese and English. Currently learning Hebrew and eyeing German.
>majoring in Psychology while going balls deep in Theology on the side and lustfully eyeing epistemology and mathematics
>can program in Python and C. Hold Lisp within a special place in my heart.
I still feel like a fucking baby.
>I still feel like a fucking baby.
That's the point user.
The moment you stop thinking you know too little is the moment you fucked up
How old are you?
It's true that it's too late to play piano at a "I could give concerts"-level, but still decent enough to play medium difficulty pieces like Chopin's e flat major nocturne
>I'll probably write a poem at some point (once I've studied the theory of how to use metric)
You will never write a poem.
Why not?
>tfw Humboldt almost went broke because of his scientific research
That's why you have to have at least one profitable area of expertise
I am. I just got a day off.
I'm trying though. I already speak 2 langauges(german and english), am starting to learn another one and thinking about picking up latin again. I have also studied occultism and philosophy for years. I'm also planning on getting into medicine, psychology, mathematics and more into history in the near future.
>A true seeker of knowledge
This is the antithesis of the Yea Forums pseud. Have you come here before?
Porn habit set me back in life big time.
Academics are getting paid less. Back then, polymaths were either aristocrats or got good work as tutors. The pay now is shit.
Break the chains of your addiction user. If you're not a weak man, you should be able to do this by yourself. But if you are, there is nothing wrong with admitting your weakness, for it is the first step to betterment. Get some help, there are plenty of resources.
I come here sometimes but usually pick the threads that seem most fitting to my interests. Sometimes I just like clicking on random stuff that sounds interesting though
You don't have to be an academic to contribute to a field
>t. Mathematician
>t. Computer scientist
>t. literally anything that consists of mostly theory
But I agree, nowadays you have to compensate with other means
You talk like its difficult or something; metric isnt hard and the rest is wordplaying. Not like modern poetry cares about it
Most threads of any substance (Actual discussion about actual books without pseudointellectual self-masturbation) get like 20 replies maximum, and that's a high estimate.
That's why I'm trying to motivate anons with this one
This thread can almost be grouped into the pseudointellectual self-masturbation category. Being a true polymath takes a lot of effort. Pompous pseuds are not cut out for the polymath life. The only way to fix this board would be for the mods to permaban all bait posters, low-effort posters and off-topic posters.
What is that abomination?
Talking about polymaths in this way does nothing. You are using the idea of a polymath as a vain image to live up to. You need passion and hunger for multiple fields to make it work.
>You need passion and hunger for multiple fields
I already have it, user. The question is, do you?
>implying I’m not
I browse Yea Forums /fit/ /pol/ Yea Forums /g/ and Yea Forums
I am very well rounded
BASED Yea Forums RENAISSANCE MAN
The closest thing a common man can be to a polymath is a jack of all trades and a master of maybe one.
IQ Limitations among other immutable causes.
That's literally what being a polymath means, did you unironically think they were all Masters in each field they were interested in?
>IQ Limitations
Slave mentality
>did you unironically think they were all Masters in each field they were interested in?
Historically, the notable ones were at least very proficient in the various fields. And these days a lot of common people could be called polymaths if you set the bar that low, due to the internet.
>Slave mentality
How can it be slave mentality when the configuration of your own neurology limits you from proficiency in general in anything. Even the idiot could strive to be as best as he can, as much as his neurology allows, but there is no transcending this.
>proficient
Proficient ≠ being a master in something.
> as much as his neurology allows
Your intelligence isn't as determined by genetics as you want to think
>Proficient ≠ being a master in something.
How? A master is by definition someone who is very proficient at his craft.
>Your intelligence isn't as determined by genetics as you want to think
You could provide some sources.
As far as I've seen and read, intelligence can only go down, never be improved. E.g. knowing things is not the same as being able to retain and remember them efficiently.
Its not that I want to think it, it just seems to be the case. And yes there are environmental influences on intelligence, and ALL that I've seen in studies are influences that lower it.
>intelligence can only go down, never be improved. E.g. knowing things is not the same as being able to retain and remember them efficiently.
Please stop talking lmao
If you want, provide evidence for your claims. Otherwise stop responding.
Or just make a philosophy/theology board
One versed in more than one field of mathematics, I would imagine. Statistical analysis, for example, at best has minor overlap with engineering calculus, as the two are generally used for very different purposes.
Bump
im tryin
I used to disagree but I'm beginning to agree more and more. /his/ is supposed to house philosophy and theology threads but nobody listens to the rules. If the mods don't want to do their fucking job of banning off-topic posts, then creating a new board would solve that problem. A philosophy/theology board would really redirect a large amount of the retards that ruin this board. That board would be fucking terrible, but at least Yea Forums could be saved. It would be a containment board in the same way /mlp/ is.
I just checked /mlp/ and realized that /mlp/ probably has the highest percentage of oldfags compared to any other board. I cringed.
I majored in mathematics, even did research for awhile and was going to go on to advanced degrees. But I burned myself out and started drinking a lot, then got kicked out of my masters. Read a lot of philosophy and literature in my spare time, mostly the Greek philosophers and classical stories. It's been a few years since I got kicked out and I'm applying to a different school for my masters. Also a BSc in math alone is useless and out of the thousands of resumes I sent out, only a few ever contacted me back. I do manual labour for a living.
>aren't you a polymath user
maybe
i like chemistry, computer science, programming, electronics, mechanical science
in the future i might indulge in diy tunnels, flute playing, classic vocal music (mostly theory), violin, farming, primitive building
i have interests in multiple languages of my hemisphere currently working on my 3rd and 4th
i'm also planning to write literature in a nearly dead language to bring it out in it's fullest form if that's even possible maybe study some theory of language stuff and formalize it in a grammar
i'm also jobless and broke
This
The breadth of knowledge has become much more vast and the different scientific fields have become much more specialized compared to Leonardo's day making it much harder to be a true polymath and make significant contributions in multiple areas.
>And these days a lot of common people could be called polymaths if you set the bar that low, due to the internet.
i guess you can only use the term ironically or casually these days
>jobless and broke
How, you know CS lmao
learned it in undergrad course
but im socially incapable so
Take an intern job, live for a year or so off of minimum wage, then use that experience to apply to a real cs job
Congratulations, you now have a decent salary
i have multiple internships and couple years of exp in a full time job, it's not about experience
it seems like people are put off by me even if i say the right things
>people are put off by me even if i say the right things
delete this
>it seems like people are put off by me even if i say the right things
Consider the manner in which you're saying them. The vast majority of communication and social skill is either fully non-verbal or is non-semantic and has more to do with how you say it - the tone, volume, etc.
A good way to start is to pick a charismatic person (I use Don from Mad Men and Tom Hiddleston, dead serious) and imitate them. Understand what they do and why it works and practice practice practice.
>and imitate them
Never, and I repeat never ever do this
In 99% of the cases it just comes off as cringy since you're trying to imitate something you aren't.
Instead take the "exposure" approach. Talk to as many people as you can, get into new situations you usually avoid, and engage in conversations. You'll notice the progress when you look back at today after a few months
idk i just keep isolating myself more and more
I tried to be But I was born a brainlet with only 130 iq so there's no real hope for me. I'm never gonna make it.
>durr you can't be a polymath anymore because knowledge iz to spread out!
so you're telling me there will never ever be any more polymaths in the world?
That's just a retards excuse basically. Nowadays it's easier than ever to be a polymath because you have access to nearly every ressource you want to learn a specific field.
It's just become out of fashion to call someone a polymath and people barely try to look outside their area of expertise with some exceptions
Stop making excuses user
>Have you composed a Nocturne?
No
>Have you ever written a Sonett?
Yes
>Did you ever contribute to a scientific field?
Yes
>Do you speak more than one language?
Yes
What have you ever done, you fat faggot?
Time to get on that writing and composing shit my man
I'm obviously not saying to imitate them perfectly, but learn what works and what doesn't. You're fundamentally wrong that its cringy, because imitating other humans is how we learn to speak and socialize in the first place.
>something you aren't
There is no "authentic self" in terms of charisma and sociality. The belief that there is an "authentic self" is what leads people to the miserable conclusion that they're just fundamentally uncharismatic and can't improve. But this is wrong, they can improve.
This is only going to lead to you becoming less charismatic and feeling worse and worse about yourself. I know it sucks but you have to confront your fears even if its just a small step! Learn to embrace the small victories and forget the failures.
>authentic self" in terms of charisma and sociality. The belief that there is an "authentic self" is what leads people to the miserable conclusion that they're just fundamentally uncharismatic and can't improve. But this is wrong, they can improve.
You misunderstood.
Charisma and confidence is like a skill, you can learn it. What I want to avoid tho is that people start copying personality traits and specific behavior off of the characters you suggested.
E.g. Don's facial reactions or hiddlestons specific smirk. That's what I mean by keeping your personality, you have your own specific way of reacting to things and it is part of you and should stay that way
I'm not making excuses. My fuvking brain can't hold more than 4 languages, i try to learn a fifth and forget one that I knew. My memory is lousy, I get constantly flanked by life like I was some nazi commander in russia, can't code for shit, can barely play bass (the instrument for talentless hacks), can't sing, can't write verse, can't write prose, mathematical brainlet (Even If Here perhaps I deserve a small amount of flack since my teachers were awful and I instantly got a lot better at it when I started studying it on my own), barely able to read latin and greek. Laughed off an hebrew course (ok because I lied and said I was a jew and was caught but still) and only halfway decent at Martial Arts.
I've never in my life found something that came to me "easily" as I always hear my smarter friends say. When I manage I manage after enourmous stress and effort and after various false starts. I'm a fuck up and I'll never be a polymath or a tenth as smart as I believed I was when I was a kid.
>inb4 nice blog
Here, I disappointed (You) too.
>I'm not making excuses.
>Proceeds to make excuses
The human mind has no hard limits that become apparent so quickly. You're just lazy and easily give up instead of pushing on
You have litteraly no idea. My whole life I fought lack of innate talent with hard work. I'm litteraly known for being the one that never gives up despite the Irrationality of going on.
You people always go on with this "self improvement" meme; But in reality there's no such thing. A mediocre shall forever be a mediocre.
>this "self improvement" meme; But in reality there's no such thing
Turn to nihilism then retard
OOOOOOH polymath...big word we got a BIG fucking guy over here. This entire concept of being a big scholar who sit inside his epic study room reading books, conducting experiments, sketching the vitruvian man or whatever the fuck sounds REALLY fucking cool. Like yeah i wanna be a wiseguy with a big white beard with all that KNOWLEDGE, but the second i start reading a book, any book whatsoever i remember why im not a so called "POLYMATH GENIUS SCHOLAR".
Because it's boring as fuck. Seriously. I picked up the pdf of that "tao de chink" or whatever it's called book that keeps getting memed around here and i almost fell asleep after reading the first few lines. It's such a fucking boring piece of shit and if i wanted to actually fulfill the self aggrandizing concept of the philosopher scholar monk or whatever i realized i'd have to spend hours reading boring shit exactly like this. Like seriously im into "Chapter" 15 of that book and i honestly have no fucking clue what's the big deal about this, why it's getting pushed so hard. Why the fuck would some fat fuck chink telling me to just let go of my desires and follow the so called "TAO" (which he cant even explain what means lol u cant explain its too deep 4 u bro AHAHAHAHA) What fucking retarded fortune cookie bullshit is this? Are you kids fucking retarded for pretending there's a coherent philosophy to that book or do i need to finish it to finally get some transcendence or incredible understanding of the universe or whatever the fuck because i was honestly pissed that i wasted 10 minutes reading that.
Yeah dude, being le epik scientist philosopher scholar is a really cool fantasy until i remember that reading is fucking boring, mathematics is a load of fucking bullshit that isnt even real that im supposed to follow as some sort of universal law and physics is also fucking stupid hocus pocus shit. Fuck it. And fuck you. I'll just keep skimming through wikipedia articles on history and philsophy and that'll be the end of my so called COLLECTION OF KNOWLEDGE. God i fucking hate nerds.
Damn user, where's that pasta from
Most people have shit taste for what is interesting, and it's hard to develop a good taste for it.
No but I am a magician