March 12, 2010
- Gurdjieff on the Question of Learning and the Learning of Questions -
“You see what trouble I have with students? She ask stupid questions and I give stupid answers, but even though stupid, they honest. But same is true even when someone—very rare—ask genuine question. When I give true answer, her unconscious already know answer is true because unless already know answer, unconscious cannot ask question. But, even so, she think I make joke, so will not listen. In teaching is necessary to remember that no one really asks questions. Impossible to ask question about something you not already know, already have good idea. So I only give answers which she already know. Answer to such question everybody already know. Is usual, when person ask me question, to already know two answers: one pleasant, one unpleasant. Not really ask question, only want confirmation; want pleasant answer from other person than self, because already know pleasant answer not right. But. . . if other person, like myself, give pleasant answer then can say to self that I tell this answer, and so not have to worry with conscience because is my fault. But for serious man is not necessary find new answers, but new questions. Once you ask question, this mean you already have a very good idea about answer. For teacher is important make student ask new questions. This reason why education in your country and in modern times upside-down. Teacher in school never make new student ask new question or try to discover new thing. Only answer old questions to which everyone already have answer or can find answer in self without effort.”
Beautiful.
Comment by Ann Seeker — March 12, 2010 @ 7:07 pm
Yeah, seriously. The picture of Gurdjieff that Fritz Peters paints in his books really makes me feel like I can understand G as a person, and not just as a great spiritual teacher. He seemed to let his guard down with Peters, in what could very well have been an intentional way, but in a way that I haven’t noticed in any other writings about/by him. There’s a closeness there that makes my own image of Gurdjieff a lot more human, without really taking anything away from the “teacher” side of the equation, and also, I am highly impressed with Peters’ memory of specific conversations and events.
It really is a great read for anyone interested in a more personal take on who Gurdjieff was, and what his motives were for his actions and teachings. I find myself agreeing with him on many, if not all, of his opinions on such matters. By which I just mean that they feel right to me, and make sense in a way that other opinions of and about G do not.
Comment by Ian — March 13, 2010 @ 12:27 am
So, my question to you, is how is this relevant to you? :)
PS- lovely to visit again after long hiatus . . .
Comment by Marguerite Manteau-Rao — March 13, 2010 @ 1:09 pm
Heh. Margaurite, good to have have back, you always ask the tough questions! :)
Glad to see your trip through India went so well. Looked like it was quite the adventure.
But to answer your question, I guess there’s a couple different levels going on here, in regards to how this relates to me:
1) I’m currently reading the book this quote is pulled from, and I just think this is a good idea to keep in mind. When we wonder about something enough to be able to form a question about it, there’s a chance that somewhere we do already know the answer and maybe just don’t want to face it ourselves.
2) The idea of the teacher-student relationship has come up a lot here recently, and I think this is a particularly insightful explanation of one problem that often arises in such a relationship. Finding it in the book, I thought it might make for a good discussion here. (and also, as a sort of subsection of this answer, I really like the way it Gudjieff thought in general, and find this to be a good example of that as well)
3) Though I have not intentionally brought up the student-teacher relationship, it is something I have been struggling with lately (the necessity of picking a teacher/tradition and working with them/it in depth, and how to know which one is best for you). Having this quote here is a way for me to remind myself of this aspect of that relationship.
4) Its also a reminder that often, the advice we receive from others (whether they’re a teacher, friend, or even a stranger) often is a reflection of something we already know, but are not willing to face. And that its easier to both take an easy ansswer from someone else and pretend that its somehow their fault that we are taking the easy road, and also, that we can often miscontrue good advice as joke when we don’t want to hear it. I don’t want to fall prey to either of those tendencies in myself, and it seems like something to be very careful of, since both spring from biases we are already carrying around inside us before we even ask the question and receive the advice.
5) And lastly, I like the point that Gudjieff makes here about it being more important to be able to form new questions, or “the learning of questions” as I put it in the title, than to come up with reliable answers. Keeps the questioning mind strong in both great doubt and great faith.
Comment by Ian — March 15, 2010 @ 1:08 pm