Story of Will Herberg (1901-1977) and William F. Buckley debate at Drew (1974) Buckley paid homage to Herberg the perpetual student (at the age of 74!): When he wanted to study Taoism, he taught himself Chinese. He also said how Herberg's candle burned brighter than most and there was the fear that if lesser candles got too close to him there would be an explosion and bits of parchment would be everywhere. That's my image of learning: carnivorous, perpetual, ever curious and driven.
"I think that Mr. Herberg's difficulty comes in part from the ease with which he moves in any circle at all. He moves with great self-assurance among the working people and with great self-assurance among the poets [Herberg's "top 20%" of the population.] And under the circumstances he feels that the society can tolerate its poets indefinitely even as he has done, rejecting the warning of Plato that occasionally it becomes necessary to take the poets to the gates of the city and bid them good-bye." --Buckley 0:44:20-56
"For the great masses --80% of the American people are workers and farmers. They have no interest in whatever in foreign policy... Their interests in policies and so on are domestic....It's the top 20% who wander off in all kinds of directions suggesting different foreign policies." --Herberg 1:12-13
A parallel story is the one Dr. Barbara Stone-Fraufelker told about Jean Piaget (1896 - 1980), who taught educational psychology in Geneva, Switzerland until well into his 70's. "Piaget served as professor of psychology at the University of Geneva from 1929 to 1975" (66 years; he was 80 in 1975)!) -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Piaget
Also Tom Peter's note about the father of a girl fiend who excused himself after dinner to go to his study and do some homework (he was a surgeon.) Peters noted that the revelation for him was that homework never ceased! The Tom Peters Seminar, "The Age of Homework," Vintage Books, 1994, p. 102-105.
"Like most of my teenage contemporaries, I dreamed that once you got out of high school, or college, the wretched homework routine was over for good."
"You need to get (or stay) smarter than the next person, which means you have to be committed, in some form, to school for life."
"Homework means you-supported training. ...you alone are responsible for setting, and then sticking to, bold and measurable learning/skill-enhancement goals."
"I am curious. I am an inveterate learner. A perpetual student. (It's one of my professional strengths.)" --Tom Peters, http://www.tompeters.com/toms_world/obs_entries.php?note=000725&year=1999
My story? (from my Jun-06 IDC presentation):
- A perpetual student of people management
- Always trying new things—experiment with people; find out what motivates them
-----------------------------------------------
"On Matters of Mutual Interest"
This was a colloquy at Drew University. William F. Buckley was editor-in-chief of the conservative National Review magazine, and host of a syndicated TV talk show. Will Herberg (1901-1977) was an American Jewish writer, intellectual and scholar. During the 1960s he was Religion Editor of National Review, and taught at Drew University.
Speaker: William F. Buckley, Will Herberg
Duration: 1:25:34
Date of Recording: 1/9/1974
Where Recorded: Drew Seminary, Madison NJ
Source of Recording: Theological School, Drew University Archives
http://audio.umc.org/
http://master.media.umcom.org/umcaudio/DA-1032.mp3
It may have been said in February, 1973 at the "Civil Religion in America" conference
Nice bio, here: http://www.answers.com/topic/will-herberg
|