Autodidacticism refers to self-education or self-directed learning. An autodidact is solely responsible for their learning. That doesn’t necessarily mean you do it in isolation. Seeking information from other humans or even working with other autodidacts on the same subject are just as valid as researching written sources by yourself. Also, autodidacts do not have to learn everything on their own – formal education in some areas of knowledge may be a personal choice.

I would argue that most humans are autodidacts when it comes to those areas of knowledge that are most important to them. Think about the times in your life when you wanted to know something or how to do something and you pursued them based on your own initiative and without the use of formal “State Approved” institutions. When I went to high school, “science” consisted of physics, chemistry, and biology. I was always interested in paleontology, astronomy, and zoology to name just a few “other” sciences and I continue to educate myself in these fields without the aid of teachers, authorized textbooks, and official courses.

The knowledge offered in schools is very limited and just because the knowledge you are interested in is not available does not make your choices less important. It is vital to keep the flame of curiosity burning bright within you and to fuel it with knowledge that is essential to you. Mass schooling often works to extinguish the flame, transforming you from an autodidact to an automaton, ready to fulfill your role as a consumer cog in a capitalist machine. My advice is to either quit school or accept the “game” of schooling and play along quietly while you pursue your interests on your own time.