An Intellectual life

One of my personal favourite books I’ve read multiple times in the past few years has been Lost in Thought: The Hidden Pleasures of an Intellectual Life by Zina Hitz.

The book perfectly articulates an attraction I have to foster a quiet and contemplative intellectual life for its own sake. Upon thinking about this book today I decided to listen to an interview with Zina while I worked.

In this interview, Zina discusses the pain and suffering often associated with intellectual life. She went on to discuss that this really shouldn’t come as a surprise; retreating into oneself and creating the space necessary for reading, writing and intellectual thought, isn’t easy. It’s difficult to sidestep distraction and instant gratification in the pursuit of intellectual growth.

We accept this as a necessary fact in other spheres. Athletes practice restraint and dedication to perform at their best in their chosen sport. Why would it be any different for the development of one’s intellectual capacity?

As it is with physical health, it is a harsh truth that to achieve a decent standard of health, you must practice some self-control and discipline.

When junk food and junk media are so readily available, it takes a special kind of resolve to achieve a decent standard of physical and intellectual fitness.

To be fair, I could do better in both these areas.