I know there are objections to his view: At some moment, all accomplishment, however self-directed, has to become professional, lucrative, real. And surely many of the things that our kids are asked to achieve can lead to self-discovery; taught well, they may learn to love new and unexpected things for their own sake. There are many drugs that we swallow or inject in our veins; this is one drug that we produce in our brains, and to good effect. The hobbyist or retiree taking a course in batik or yoga, who might be easily patronized by achievers, has rocket fuel in her hands. The pursuit of accomplishment, what I call the real work, never ends, and always surprises.

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