I am being asked to illustrate that the learning process is distinct from its emotionally stimulative content.
There is a story of a teacher who spent much of his salary on alcoholic drink.
When this became known, students deserted him, saying ‘We can hardly understand what he says.’
A friend, another scholar, suggested that, as he now had so few pupils, he should give up drinking.
The drunkard replied:
I work in order to get money for drink. Now you want me to stop drinking so that I can work!’
This is an ancient parable about both teachers and students who ‘drink’: because they use the teaching/learning situation for individual and group stimulation. Like the teacher in the example, learning may become secondary to their prime motivation, excitement.
