Facades

In my quest to become even more Midwestern (very proud of my heritage as a Scandinavian), I finally picked up Lake Wobegon Days by Garrison Keillor. While set in small town Minnesota, I love the vivid imagery and storytelling ability of Keillor to relate even to us city folk. He picks up on the subtle nuances of life and character so well. Here's a passage from chapter 2 that I found striking a chord.

It was a printed poster entitled NEW ALBION, THE BOSTON OF THE WEST, and under the title, a perfect picture of a town with great buildings, stately homes under broad trees, avenues thronged with traffic. "Home of New Albion College, World Revered Seat of Learning Set in This Mecca of Commerce and Agriculture. Dr. Henry Francis Watt, Ph.D, Litt. D, D.D., President. Choice lots Remain For Purchase, $100."

"Mr. Bayfield," Henry gasped. "You take me for a much better man than I am!"

"Mr. Watt," Bayfield replied, "you will do just fine, sir. You will accomplish the purpose admirably, I have every reason to believe it."

"But Doctor! You have me a doctor of philosophy, literature, divinity-great God! I'll be found out! There will be a scandal! Outrage! People will never forgive it!"

Bayfield put his arm around the young man's shoulders. "You seem to be ignorant of the true nature of doctors," he said. "My boy, the first and foremost work of a doctor is to inspire confidence in his being one. So long as the public has faith in him, then any man can be a doctor, and if the public hasn't faith, then the greatest doctor in the world will have no effect on them."

"But the degrees. I have no degrees," Henry pleaded.

"First, we shall get the college on its feet. Then the college will grant you every degree that is needed."

"I will get my degrees from my own college? Me, the president of that college? Do you think it is right, Mr. Bayfield?"

"This is the West, Mr. Watt. Here, men are not so dependent on the opinions of others. Here, it matters less what others think than what a man himself says he is. Look around you, sir, and you will see men who are mere mechanics, workingmen, even foreigners, become masters of great affairs and vast estates. That is why we have come here. So as not to be held back by requirements!"

The facades that we erect around us are many. The 'degrees' that we hold are even more numerous. If you have any confidence in the world, I wouldn't doubt you, like me, have faked it. Be it in a work setting, at home, or before an audience at a dinner party. We're trained fakers.

Unless you're willing to spend lots of money and time, sometimes the best education is living. It's getting involved. It's meeting new people, engaging. Learning through experience. I've found this is how I learn best and I'll never have a degree to show for it. After all, I'm a writer.