Fluency-
Looking back on what I wrote almost 2 years ago in regards to language fluency, I can objectively conclude that although my attitude towards language learning was in the right place, my idea of fluency was fundamentally mistaken. With having significantly improved my Japanese since I began my study abroad, and continuing to do so even after having returned to the United States, I have come to understand through personal experience that the concept of fluency as a comprehensive whole is and always will be an illusion. In more specific terms, even in one's own native language one cannot talk on a fluent level in all discourses: science, law, philosophy, and other esoteric disciplines couched in technical terms are areas that take time and discipline EVEN for native speakers to master. Knowing this is not an excuse to feel discouraged; rather, it sheds some much needed light on how one should actually going about learning to communicate in a new discourse. Passive to Active- I can say without a doubt that I have made a major step forward in becoming a very active player in my own long term educational and life goals. There's a famous quote from a late Japanese author by the name of Shuuji Terayama that can be translated as "ditch the books and hit the streets". Although study and disciplined learning through books and such has its place, I found that I have improved and retained the most when it comes to functioning in certain discourses by sticking to an 80% experience/20% study routine. This of course isn't simply limited to acquiring language; this idea can arguably be applied to a number of disciplines that require a combination of retained information and practical application. Keeping Complacency at Bay- My thoughts towards this idea of keeping complacency, in other words keeping self satisfaction at bay are still in many regards the same as how it was nearly two years prior. If I was forced to say, however, I think one thing that has changed in regards to my feelings towards this idea is the framing of it. Keeping complacency at bay is not what is important here, it is enjoying actively seeking the novelty that makes like interesting for its own sake. In other words, there is no feeling of resistance on my part, but rather a voluntary, genuine feeling of curiosity. I think in my case at least this re-framing of my perspective in regards to this idea has made all the difference in my attitude towards actively seeking new information.
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May 2019
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