I happened to come across a story shared by the knowledge blogger Li Shanglong - Palantir Company (A company specializing in data analysis and AI applications) directly recruits from high school students, offering paid study and project practice opportunities.
This news immediately struck a chord with me, prompting me to re-examine the path of "studying hard, getting into university, and finding a good job".
Was that "unique" path really unique?
I majored in finance in college and still remember the feeling of being overwhelmed when learning about the concepts of "debit" and "credit" at the beginning. Those abstract theories were like an invisible wall, separating me from this major.
It wasn't until I entered the factory's finance department after graduation that I discovered that among the several highly competent colleagues in the department, not a single one had a formal education background.
The respected chief accountant, when young, entered the factory as an ordinary worker and achieved professional proficiency solely through self-study.
Their presence silently questioned that single path that society regarded as the golden rule - "university - profession - corresponding job".
This reminded me of the wisdom in the Chinese classic "Zhouyi":
"When exhausted, change is necessary; change leads to communication; communication leads to longevity." When a path reaches its end, change itself is the way out.
The gap between "stuttering English" and real communication
The experience of learning English is also thought-provoking. Most of us in this generation have experienced the awkwardness of "stuttering English" - we can read and write, but we can't communicate verbally.
When I started working, it coincided with a collaboration between the factory and a British company. Two translators left a deep impression on me: one was an English major graduate, and the other was a female colleague who had learned on her own.
Surprisingly, the latter's oral fluency far exceeded the former. When she conversed freely with foreign engineers, I could only stand by, and all the grammar and vocabulary I had painstakingly learned seemed to lose their meaning in an instant.
At that moment, I realized: We spent too much time learning "knowledge about language", but forgot that language is essentially a tool for communication. Because we didn't have the opportunity to communicate when we were learning, we didn't know what the ultimate meaning of learning was.
Awakening Moment: Be Myself, The Weight of These Words
Recently, the film "The Hermit's Landscape" directed by a composer and screenwriter has touched the hearts of many people. Among the interviewees, the call of "Be Myself" gathered into a clear current.
Among the interviewees, the call of "Be Myself" gathered into a clear current.
These four words may seem simple, but they carry the awakening of individual consciousness and the yearning for diverse possibilities.
It is a gentle rebellion against the notion of "the only correct path" and an affirmation of the diversity of life.
Just like the recruitment of high school students by Palantir Company, it is not merely a new career path, but also a symbol: Our society begins to recognize that professional abilities do not necessarily come from a specific educational institution, learning can be separate from work, and growth can take countless forms.
The philosophy of adaptability: When the world begins to curve
We are so fortunate to live in this era of rapid change.
Every day, new possibilities are emerging, and old frameworks are being re-examined. Those choices that were once considered "non-mainstream" - self-taught, skill-oriented, learning by doing - are gaining new legitimacy.
But this does not mean we should deny traditional education.
True adaptability lies in seeing and acknowledging the rationality of multiple paths beyond a single choice.
- It allows high school students to directly enter professional fields and enables college students to complete their studies with peace of mind;
- it gives self-taught individuals opportunities and allows those with a formal education to showcase their talents.
The world is adapting. It begins to accommodate more possibilities and recognize the rationality of different starting points. This adaptation ultimately liberates not a certain group of people, but the repressed potential within each individual's heart.
What we need perhaps is not to deny a certain path, but to see more paths; not to overthrow all the rules, but to make the rules serve people instead of people being trapped by the rules.
In this sense, "being myself" is no longer just an empty slogan; it gives us the possibility of diverse choices:
- choosing to believe in one's own growth rhythm,
- choosing the learning method that suits oneself, and
- choosing to be true to one's inner self rather than blindly following the expectations of the outside world in one's life path.
------"Further Reading"
"Regarding 'flexibility' and diverse growth paths, if you wish to conduct a more systematic and in-depth analysis, I highly recommend the following three books（Amazon link for access）
1）、Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World by David Epstein
"It provides us with solid confidence to break the "specialist myth" with a vast number of cases and research. In this complex era, having extensive experience and cross-disciplinary learning ability (that is, the ability to be flexible) is more important than early deep specialization. It directly explains why the Palantir Company and my self-taught colleagues can succeed.
Range:Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World
2）、The New Psychology of Success by Carol S . Dweck
All external "flexibility" begins with internal "thinking flexibility". The "growth mindset" proposed in this book is the psychological fuel that enables one to take different paths. If you have ever limited yourself due to "not being from a professional background", this book can completely change your fundamental beliefs.
3）、The Worn - out Society (Hardcover) by Byung-Chul Han
This concise and insightful philosophical essay explains why we are trapped on the single path of "overcompensation" - because we are in a "meritocracy society". Pursuing "flexibility" is, on a deeper level, a gentle resistance to this kind of social self-exploitation. It can bestow a profound sense of calmness upon your choices.
The Worn-out Society (Hardcover)
Using a Kindle or a similar e-reader for reading will give you a helping hand!
Reference article ：
Without a Kindle, my reading life seems to be missing a leg.