Writing an essay on the topic ” Not everything that is learned is contained in books.” Compare and Contrast knowledge gained from experience with knowledge gained from books. In your opinion, which source is more important.? And Why? Explain with some real examples.
By Payal Gupta (blog: http://mixwritings.blogspot.in)
It is an old cliche that experience is a good teacher as compared to books. I agree with it. It can be a question of dilemma whether to prefer books or experience as a good source of knowledge. No doubt books explain us the concepts about any new theory. It introduces us to the new things and enhances our knowledge but in real world, things are different. Our surroundings is an external environment on which we have no control. Working in changing environments gives us experience, an another kind of knowledge which helps us to face real world scenarios. Both books and experience are two channels of knowledge and in my point of view, knowledge gained from real world experience is far more important than pedantic knowledge.
Firstly, I want to quote my own personal experience to prove my perspective. During my MBA training, I took NCFM Financial Markets module. I had no deep prior knowledge about financial markets. I considered NSE booklet a source for gaining knowledge about markets different terminology and the whole process. But when I had undergone three days training in a Max Growth brokerage firm during training period, the real world came in front of me. Persons working there have only practical knowledge with them and they have no concern with what is written in books. My bookish knowledge proved wrong there. For instance, I asked them whether they give 2.5% commission to agents, they replied to me, in reality, it does not exceed 0.5%. There are many other things which I learnt there and they are nowhere in books. Means my certificate do not provide me the skill to work in any brokerage firm unless I have practical exposure to stock exchange working.
This is my own case and it is reality. We cannot ignore this. This is the reason why recruiters prefer experienced persons for their company. The significance of experience attaches to us at a very young age. We start experiencing success and failure while playing in the playground with friends. This victory and failure makes the child mentally stiff and gives her power to face failure and to handle victory. Further, playing in a playground unconsciously checks child ability to make strategies to ensure her success. The child also learns to be socialized there by making new friends.
In this context, another example we can take of personal finance. Making budgets, to organize income and expenses, to manage funds by foreseeing future goals are such topics which can be learnt only through practical exposure. In my MBA, Personal finance is a different subject, it is not just a topic in a book. My teachers taught this subject without any book. We refer to ET Wealth newspaper, current economy and business news, reading case studies of families who managed their finances well. Books can teach us some formulae and tools to manage finances but all is futile till we apply it to our real life. Managing funds is an important concept in our day to day life and this can be learnt only through experience.
Concluding, no doubt books are ubiquitous source of knowledge but its knowledge is constrained to certain conditions and environment. Bookish knowledge is based on assumptions but real world do not take into account any assumption. It follows the law of change. Experience on other hand develops the person mentally and socially which otherwise ensures her survival in the world.
