lectures that were more important than you realized at the time

Think back… was there ever a lecture you attended that was very important, but for some reason you simply weren’t in a position to appreciate it at the time?

There’s a clear case for me: Michael Fried’s lecture at St. John’s College, Annapolis about his book on Courbet (which I believe was forthcoming at the time rather than already published).

It must have been during my junior year, and the lecture was simply over my head. It was obvious that Fried was extremely smart, but I barely knew who Courbet was back then, and certainly had no idea of Fried’s importance.

That’s one lecture that I wish I could have back. I’d love to go back in time and see that lecture again and ask Fried a few questions.