The benefits of academia

In the reply to an email I sent to one of my lecturers at college, she said "I feel that you are an academic at heart" and, not matter how much I hatefully rail against academia, perhaps this is true.

My examination results for my A2 English exams were disastrous and I consequently discarded all together the idea of applying to university. Prior to starting my A-levels I was hateful to universities and all things academic, but over the course of time I have felt that academia can be beneficial. I thereby changed my mind again and decided that I will apply to university.

Autodidactism is characterised by its eschewal from academic learning, but it is possible to fuse the two. Independent study and academia can be combined and undertaken simultaneously, and I think that the two interconnect and complement one another.

But I think that the real reason I rejected academia is because I prefer solitary learning and undertaking tasks on my own. I've always hated group activities or even sitting in lessons with groups of people because I prefer sitting on my own in a room and reading a book. I've always despised group thinking and interacting with others as a means of acquiring information, but certain goals and aims must be attained this way.

'Art' a lot of the time is infused by academic learning. Many novelists, painters, etc have learnt their craft through a university education, but I still think that it is a terrible mistake to assume that the merit of an artist's work is indebted to their university education. Ultimately, learning can be stimulated by anything, such as the sky or a tree, rather than solely by academic education. Many noteworthy artists haven't had the slightest academic training, and many people seem to be surprised by this.

One of the reasons why I want to study philosophy is that it is a strict discipline that can benefit me in a way that other subjects can't. Certainly, the study of this subject could contribute greatly to my life and craft. I feel that the study of abstract concepts and technical procedures would challenge me and provide a groundwork for many of my activities and pursuits.