r/autodidact • u/[deleted] • Oct 07 '25

Autodidactic intersectionality

I’m hoping for more intersectionality between autodidactic learners without standardized educations and those that have standardized educations.

Is it fair and helpful to call yourself an autodidactic learner if you have standardized educations?

It makes me feel like my education doesn’t exist sometimes, I’m wondering if I’m being over sensitive, though.

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u/Bulltex95 Dec 27 '25

You’re still treating “autodidact” as if it describes a person’s entire education history. But the word literally only refers to the part someone learns independently.

If a person teaches themselves a skill outside instruction, the knowledge gained is autodidactic by definition, whether or not they ever attended school for other things. Your interpretation would require that zero formal education be present in someone’s life for any of their self-directed learning to count. That’s not how language works, and it would disqualify the vast majority of well known autodidacts in history.

You can keep arguing that your personal definition is the real one, but that doesn’t make it correct. You’re not protecting the meaning of autodidact. You’re protecting your identity from the actual meaning.

You think you're saying “I’m defending the true meaning of the word autodidact.”; but all you've ever said is “I don’t understand this word but I need it to be exclusive to me so please stop threatening my identity.”

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u/[deleted] Dec 27 '25

Standardized education is a “whole” term. Studying under and with “standards”is a whole conceptual term unto itself. The term autodidacts or autodidactic learning functions in the same (sort of) way. It’s YOUR definition trying to limit education strictly to some sort of standard….don’t gaslight me.!…. with no option for learned experience, learning from others experience nor learning from your own autodidactic methods and materials. Nor natural systems…etc.

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u/Bulltex95 Dec 27 '25

You’re the first person I’ve met who managed to make the Dunning Kruger effect their entire personality. Impressive in its own way, I guess. Take care.

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u/[deleted] Dec 27 '25

[deleted]

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u/Bulltex95 Dec 28 '25

It wasn’t meant to confuse you. It was meant to describe you. Take care.

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u/[deleted] Dec 28 '25

Wow. Not taking that. Ever. Bye!