You are right and it applies to so much more than just magick. I was tutoring a 7th grader the other day on math and I noticed they used the calculator a lot. On the next question, I took the calculator away and asked them to do the simple multiplication in their head. It was 12x9 , something I learned on a multiplication table in second grade. They did not know what the answer was. I told them to try it on paper and they didn't know how to. This student had relied entirely on being handed the answer by their calculator and never truly learned the subject.
It's the same with the internet. People look up something and instead of researching multiple sources, they click the first link that was written by Joe Blow in Kamikazbektrastan at age five and automatically take it as fact. Then they start sharing this information and get into heated arguments when, if they had done the proper research to begin with, they would know better or at least have a leg to stand on when they are presenting their position.
Sorry to rant. This subject kind of gets to me because I know we as humans are capable of so much more than we currently do.
Re: Where are the Elders? By: Brysing Moderator / Adept
Post # 7 Sep 30, 2014
Oh, yes! Lark, as usual, words of wisdom and teaching. I suppose I am an elder,at 81, and I must admit I often lose patience with the young.But they have so much, these days. Vast areas of information, that I never had when I was young. But I did learn; from my witch teacher who taught me, and was my friend, for over sixty years. I was there when Wicca came into the public domain. I was there to hear Aleister Crowley speak of magic. I was there to meet Alex Sanders, and his wife Maxine. I learnt a lot about Wicca. About magic. About how the Earth works. How the Universe works. How Life itself works.
And now, if I try to tell the young, the truth? What do I get? Arguments, and please can you turn me into a mermaid.
There are times when I despair of the young. But, I keep trying!
Re: Where are the Elders? By: Brysing Moderator / Adept
Post # 9 Oct 01, 2014
Oh, we don't mind being told we are wrong. We are not always right! So long it's not insulting. Even "elders" learn something new everyday. Only recently there was a wonderful post about a Mexican Saint; something new for me!
@ V.Rowenwand your story reminded me of my 5-6 grade teacher. He hated calculators, and made us take pop quizzes for math. It started slow but after a few months we had one minute to answer 100 math question [adding, subtracting, division, multiplication] without a calculator. Also made us read The Time Machine for English. I remember those days, getting 100%, and then think of today. I'm not great at math, but I think without a calculator it would take me about a minute to calculate 12x9 when that use to be on the minute quiz. Sad, but this is how the world is evolving. A girl who got a summer job this year at my work is doing her placement in teachers college now, she not only can't read cursive writing, but its optional to teach kids. I had to write in cursive from grade 3 onward. [I moved in grade 9 and was told to stop because certain teachers and all my friends couldn't read my writing.]
@ Brysing Alex Sanders! You keep finding new ways to amaze me.
Now, very nice post Lark, really enjoyed it. I started my research into Wicca for a school project, but as I progressed in my studies I felt a connection, and I agreed with a lot of what I read. Not long after I chose to convert a girl in my class approached me, she was a third generation, her grandmother converting in the 60's, and she helped me with my studies by giving me books, an address to a local occult shop, and helped me with little things like pronouncing certain words like Samhain and Athame, but I didn't have a real teacher. I think she's the reason I point people in the right direction instead of giving them step by step instructions. I think having a teacher or elder to speak with would be great, but I'm happy being solitary, and the closest I'll probably get is this site and my occult shop [luckily it teaches, but I don't have a car and its one town over, so good and bad]
Just because its published doesn't make it fact. Experience will effect perception. Those who are under 18 and haven't told their parents are limited in what they can do, but if you have the chance, I would find an occult shop that hopefully teaches. I am very lucky my local shop [which they call themselves a spiritual shop because they have books for all religions] is only 20 minutes away and has many classes almost every night on many different subjects, as well as Sabbat circles.
