I am all for pursuing interesting subjects.
But here is the thing: The word interesting is subjective.
Economics might blow my socks off, but it might be a drudgery to you. And you might like music theory. But to me, a class on music theory might feel like I am being forced to watch paint dry.
The point is that, while I think we should always be open to try something new, an interest cannot be forced.
I might be willing to attempt a study on the history of Cyprus, I just don’t want to spend weeks on it trying to appreciate it.
And dangit – well – the history of Cyprus sounds interesting too.
Matthew Arnold wrote, “All knowledge is interesting to a wise man,” and I often thought that if I took some time to learn more about the political situation in the Middle East, the architecture of Louis Sullivan, or the legacy of John Marshall, I would find these subjects very interesting. And probably I would. But then I think—well, I’d like to like Bach’s music more than I do, and I could probably make myself like it better if I tried, but I don’t like having to try to make myself like things. I want to spend more time on the things that I already like.
-Gretchen Rubin, The Happiness Project
