Insufferable Prigs

I enjoyed it so much I thought I should share it.

Feel free to comment on this one…
as it’s a great topic of conversation and should strike at our way of life.

“Insufferable, self-righteous prigs” what a strong and yet enjoyable way of saying it.

From Hugh Nibley’s essay Zeal without knowledge found in his book Approaching Zion

QUOTE

“We think it more commendable to get up at five A.M. to write a bad book than to get up at nine O’Clock to write a good one - that is pure zeal that tends to breed a race of insufferable, self-righteous prigs and barren minds.

Don’t worry… You’re Mind won’t Pop!

I think the sad part in any individuals life comes when they stop that forward progression of learning and growing.

It happens more often than you think… there comes a time when we or someone else makes “the horrible statement ” : that they are done growing in a particular area.
Whether it is religious studies, they don’t want to learn more about science, history, government, how people relate, or with modern day technologies (like computers) or they aren’t interested in adding another language.

The kicker : the “underlying reason”: The sadness of why.
“They can’t fit anything more… or they already have enough.”

“A bible a bible, we already have a bible…”

This isn’t to say it’s bad what you have it’s just to say we’re happy where we are and having more would mean exerting ourself beyond our level of comfort. I’m at where I want to be. I’m doing good. All is well. (In Zion) Or I’ve got other plans that don’t include…

What it’s really called is plain laziness and perhaps you don’t deserve it (but you do)

We should be extending and stretching and going well beyond our bounds. Beyond our area of Comfort, Capacity and present ability.

Specialization Blinders

We should not learn and get better in only what we are presently good at.

Do not fall into the trap of specialization blinders. Be good at what you’re good at but be good at the other stuff as well.
I guess the point is to not limit yourself, don’t make excuses for not becoming better. Don’t think that people are specialized and that when someone is good at skillset A they automatically aren’t qualified for skillset B… it’s not true.
The mind isn’t a balloon that when you put too much information in it pops.
YOUR MIND WON”T POP

Practical Application:

Learn another language
Study a field that you don’t presently know much about. (Perhaps one you don’t like)
Read a book that wouldn’t have been interesting before and find reasons to like it.
Become good at a sport you weren’t good at before.
Learn a new instrument
Go further in the thing you like the most.
Learn a new computer program.
Learn about a country you’ll never go to.
Develop a skill that will earn you absolutely NO MONEY!
Appreciate a new art form or skill set.

Then share your knowledge and perhaps more importantly your motivations and excitement (towards) with another.