learnings from things I read and see

the title is a contradiction in itself. Do I not see the things i read?
Some will argue that seeing implies observation and realization-association with things in real life. but then so it is with a book.
Living a life is as good as reading about it?
A scholar in ancient ages believed it to be so, and hence he asked the travelers in his boat to give up their lives rather than parting with his books and throwing them overboard when he was caught in a storm.
Therein lies a maxim 'never travel in the same boat as a scholar'-same goes with other important, learned men, men with 'vision'.
Men with vision deal with intangibles, would weigh you and these things, take decisions often at your expense considering the way the weigh goes usually..
It is better to be a scholar who loves books, a politician who loves his flag,a linguist who loves his language.
Wisdom brings ability to sacrifice some things for others, being these things relieves you of responsibility of making that important choice, of saving books that no one will read vs sailors who will die anyway.
This is why it is important to learn, go for higher education.
 I was reading about neglect of higher education by our government, which turned out to be an academic cribbing about couple of foxes of wrong colored coat not being ousted from their cushy VC posts..
I sympathize with academic. his book is being thrown overboard, he has every right to grumble.