from Lawrence, SUNDAY PhiloMadrid meeting at 6:30pm: Failure helps our maturity + News

Failure helps our maturity + News


Dear Friends,

This Sunday we are discussing: Failure helps our maturity. We can also
rephrase this title as "failure helps us to mature" without losing any
part of the meaning.

The parallel to this claim is the other expression 'learning from
experience'. It is well documented that failing at something is one of
the best forms of learning. The immediate value of failure is precisely
the knowledge that one does not know something and secondly we know
exactly what we need to learn. In other words failure ought to be a
motivating force.

Indeed, we can say that failure is a luxury if we are allowed to learn
from our mistakes. And I will use mistakes and failure as synonyms here.
Unfortunately, we are not always afforded this luxury. And in the place
where failure and mistakes ought to be taken as opportunities for
learning, these powerful tools are used to exclude, to stigmatise and to
punish. I am of course referring to institutions of education, where
conformity is more valued than creativity and intellect.

Remembering and knowing a set of facts does not mean that we are
intelligent but only that, we remember set of facts. And equally true
getting the answer right does not mean that we have learnt how to use a
concept. Intelligence, one might argue, is an ability to apply facts
and knowledge correctly. But this requires more than just filling the
blanks correctly.

So what is the difference between being intelligent and being mature? Of
course, by mature in the context of our topic does not mean getting
older, but rather acting with responsibility and making every effort to
do what is right; i.e. what is right for a desires outcome. We also
usually associate maturity with life matters, whereas when we speak of
experience we refer to specific skills or behaviours. For example, we
might be experienced travellers and we also know how to act maturely
when we encounter an adverse situation especially in a social or
cultural context. A mature person would know how to deal with an awkward
situation, whereas an experience person would be more like to know how
to avoid such situations.

Indeed, failure does help us to mature and gain experience, but failure
is a very powerful tool and being mature means having a read advantage
over others in a zero sum game; knowledge is king in a strategy game and
knowing how to apply it correctly is a stroke of genius. So when we
punish the young for their mistakes are we really teaching them a lesson
or are we really depriving them of a valuable lesson in life?
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In the meantime I have this news from David;

Cementerio Británico – British Cemetery Madrid

Martes, el día 7 de junio, a partir de las 19,30 horas, los de la
comisión gestora del cementerio harán acto de presencia allí y se ponen
a disposición del público. Hay muchas personas entre las que hayan
disfrutado de las visitas guiadas las que nos han expresado su deseo de
traer a sus amistades y familares y también otras muchas que quisieran
comentar con los de la comisión gestora sobre el presente o el futuro de
este lugar especial, objeto de tanta atención de parte de los medios de
comunicación por su valor histórico.

On Tuesday the 7th June, from 7,30 p.m. onwards, the members of the
Cemetery Committee will be at the Cemetery and hope to meet there some
of the many people who have enjoyed a guided tour and who have expressed
their wish to make a return visit in order to share their impressions
with friends and family. This will be everyone's opportunity to express
to committee members suggestions for the present and for the future of
this unique place which in recent times has been the object of so much
interest from the media because of its historical importance.

David Butler en representación de la Comisión Gestora del Cementerio
Británico
Details here: http://www.britishcemeterymadrid.com


Best Lawrence

tel: 606081813
philomadrid@gmail.com <mailto:philomadrid@gmail.com>
Blog: http://philomadrid.blogspot.com.es/
<http://philomadrid.blogspot.com.es/>
PhiloMadrid Meeting
Meet 6:30pm
Centro Segoviano
Alburquerque, 14
28010 Madrid
914457935
Metro: Bilbao
-----------Ignacio------------
Open Tertulia in English every
Thursdays at Triskel in c/San Vicente Ferrer 3.
Time: from 19:30 to 21h
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from Lawrence, SUNDAY PhiloMadrid meeting at 6:30pm: Failure helps our
maturity + News