09 March 2007

THE ENDANGERED JOY OF SERENDIPITY

William McKeen wrote eloquently on this subject in the St. Petersburg Times, 26 March 2006. Here is just a few quotes to give you the flavor of the article.

He requires students in his journalism class at the University of Florida (where he is chair of the department) to subscribe to the New York Times. When telling a student that no, he cannot just read it online, he said, “Because then you would only find what you’re looking for.”

“Serendipity is a historian’s best friend and the biggest part of the rush that is the daily magic of discovery.” “When you know what you want—or think you do—you lose the adventure of discovery, of finding something for yourself.” “We must allow ourselves to be surprised. We must relearn how to be human, to start again as we did as children—learning through awkward and bungling discovery.” At the end of your life, do you want to look back and say, “I could have missed this.”

URL: http://www.sptimes.com/2006/03/26/Perspective/The_endangered_joy_of.shtml

No comments: