The taller the building, the deeper the foundation. Without it, a building is unstable.

My foundation consists of years studying history and architecture, playing sports, working with people to solve their problems, traveling extensively, reading, and now writing. Understand my foundation and you may see where I’m going.

Can you build without a foundation? It’s certainly possible, but what’s going to prevent your building from being blown away in a heavy wind? What do you do in the face of fierce criticism? You may crumble, or you may persevere and overcome. Or if you fail, you may build again, hopefully learning from your mistakes.

In a superficial age where people can create something from nothing at will, I wonder about foundations and deep knowledge. Do they still matter? 

I say that they do. This is extreme, but if the internet were “unplugged”, what would you be left with? Personal relationships, bricks, mortar, and everything else in the physical world. Knowing what’s around you and where you came from will help you stay grounded when things fall apart.