what’s the key difference? What is the essence of autodidact-ness?
There are no essences of words. This word, “autodidact”, in general means someone who has taught themselves some subject without a teacher. In the anecdote about Alice and Bob, this is true of both of them regarding chemistry, since Alice’s lecturer might as well be a rubber duck.
However, the word is often loaded with a pejorative air, to suggest that the autodidact has learned only by studying books, without the guidance of personal interaction with experts or even other students of the subject, and has thereby obtained an understanding that is distorted or superficial.
However2, there are many who have achieved distinction in an area while having no formal education in it.
However3, everyone must at some point take responsibility for their own learning, and treat books, teachers, and fellow students all, as resources to use, not nipples to suck.
However, the word is often loaded with a pejorative air, to suggest that the autodidact has learned only by studying books, without the guidance of personal interaction with experts or even other students of the subject, and has thereby obtained an understanding that is distorted or superficial.
I haven’t seen the word used pejoratively, only in praise. Got examples of this usage?
There are no essences of words. This word, “autodidact”, in general means someone who has taught themselves some subject without a teacher. In the anecdote about Alice and Bob, this is true of both of them regarding chemistry, since Alice’s lecturer might as well be a rubber duck.
However, the word is often loaded with a pejorative air, to suggest that the autodidact has learned only by studying books, without the guidance of personal interaction with experts or even other students of the subject, and has thereby obtained an understanding that is distorted or superficial.
However2, there are many who have achieved distinction in an area while having no formal education in it.
However3, everyone must at some point take responsibility for their own learning, and treat books, teachers, and fellow students all, as resources to use, not nipples to suck.
I haven’t seen the word used pejoratively, only in praise. Got examples of this usage?
No, it’s just a sense of the word I’m familiar with. But I find that googling “mere autodidact” gives a wealth of examples.
Only googling with quotes gets it used in this way.
Without quotes:
Is the average person capable of being an autodidact?
This very post
Raising an autodidact (on purpose)
The Everlasting Autodidact
With quotes:
Natalie Shau—The Most Overrated Artist in Contemporary Digital Art, edit: its used sarcastically in this one. I think the artist being criticized is the writer herself—at least that’s what the url indicates. Maybe it was just made for this one post though.
Greenway II, LLC v. Wildenstein & Co.
What is philosophy and why should I study it?, its used ironically in this one too.
On the Cultural History of Butterflies
So I think its mostly used in the positive sense.