The Value of Knowledge : a Teaching Story
VALUE OF KNOWLEDGE
Teaching Story
By
VIKRAM KARVE
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I love teaching?– and?– I got plenty of opportunity to train and teach during my Navy days and thereafter.?
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I have encountered two types of students:
1. Students interested in learning?(knowledge oriented students)
and?
2. Students interested in marks (examination oriented students)
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This second category of examination-oriented students would often say that I taught much more beyond the syllabus?–?and?– they would ask me of?what use was all this extra knowledge from the?“examination point of view”.?
To these students?–?I would often narrate this classic Teaching Story.
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VALUE OF KNOWLEDGE
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There was once a wise man?– a?”Guru”?– who narrated?“teaching stories” to explain his points.
One day?– a?man?interrupted his sermon?–?and he rudely said to the?”Guru”:
“You are talking all nonsense.?
I cannot understand head or tail of what you are saying.
And?–?your so-called “teaching stories” are at best poor jokes – they don’t make sense or have any meaning...”
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On hearing this?– the?”Guru” smiled at the man.
Then?– the?”Guru”?calmly removed the diamond studded gold ring on his finger.
The?”Guru”?politely called the man who had interrupted him.
When the man came?– the?”Guru”?gave the ring to the man?–?and he told the man:?
“Go outside to the roadside stalls and ask them the cost of this ring.
Ask them for how much will they will buy this ring.?
I want to sell this ring.
So?–?you sell the ring if you get a good price.?
The minimum price is One Lakh Rupees.?
Don’t sell it for less than a lakh of rupees...”
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The man returned after some time and angrily said to the?”Guru”:?
“You have made me a laughing stock.?
No one is prepared to pay One Lakh Rupees for this ring.?
They say this ring is not worth more than a hundred rupees...”
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The?”Guru”?then told the man:?
“Now go to the best jeweller in town and ask him...”
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After some time the man returned dumbfounded and he said to the?”Guru”:?
“I just can’t believe it – the jeweller paid Rupees Two Lakhs for your ring...”
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The?”Guru”?looked the man in the eye and said:?
“Just as only a good jeweller can understand the true value of my ring?–?only the truly wise can understand the true meaning of my teaching stories.?
Yes?–?only the truly wise can understand the value of genuine knowledge...”
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VIKRAM KARVE
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Disclaimer:
1. This story is a fictional spoof, satire, pure fiction, just for fun and humor, no offence is meant to anyone, so take it with a pinch of salt and have a laugh.?
2.?This story is?a work of fiction.?Events, Places, Settings and Incidents narrated in the story are a figment of my imagination. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
3. E&OE
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Copyright ? Vikram Karve (All Rights Reserved)
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? vikram karve., all rights reserved.
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Parts and Versions of this story have been posted by me earlier posted in my various writing blogs - including at urls:?https://karvediat.blogspot.com/2011/08/real-wisdom-and-fake-wisdom.html?and https://karvediat.blogspot.com/2021/12/value-of-knowledge.html etc
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