What Do You Do To Educate Yourself On This Paper Chase?

Stamp Collectors and Philatelists - I'm curious about what approach do you take in learning about stamps and growing in this so-called Hobby of Kings. How deep do you go? Is it reading magazines, websites, blogs, boards, articles, auction catalogs, and/or books? Do you conduct your own in-depth research on topics you're interested in? Is there a casual approach you use or do you go to the nth degree to learn everything there is to learn generally or specifically? What's on your bookshelf as references?

Enquiring minds want to know...

Reading is great (and some is essential), and having mentors is wonderful, but there really is no substitute for seeing lots and lots and lots and lots of stamps. Or postal history. In whatever areas you have a real interest in.

Yes, and more, such as SCF members John Becker, NSK, Germania, Dr. Kohler, Revenuecollector and ParcelPostGuy amongst many others. The Philatelic Foundation and Siegel databases are also great specific tools. IMO a Scott Specialized catalog is a must. Stamp Smarter for US material is an amazing free resource. And I suppose as time goes on AI will play a larger role in finding answers to questions in a timely manner.

Having started collecting pre-internet consuming information now is like drinking from a firehose.

A general collector will need a general library. Someone branching out and wanting to specialise will acquire all the specialist literature there is. It could be postal history, certain types of postmark, a group of issues, a particular country, a particular issue, a particular period, a particular event etc etc.

Eventually, you become the expert, and end up writing the books/articles yourself

Do not skimp on buying literature or compiling links to quality on-line resources.
Similarly, do not skimp on joining some specialty societies.
Both of these will more than pay back the investment in direct knowledge and personal connections.
Too many collectors want to spend 100% of their budget on stamps and ignore the literature and societies and end up getting far less in the long run. (i.e., educate yourself and buy smarter.)
I have heard it said that philately has the most extensive literature of any collecting hobby AND that a serious collector has a philatelic library takng up as much space as their philatelic collections.
I agree with both of these observations.

"Similarly, do not skimp on joining some specialty societies."

Not exactly the best suggestion for the OP, given that a number of years ago he ghosted a society he was editor for.

Not an issue I'd like to get into (especially here), but that's what happens when you're told that you're not welcome and that you're ruining the specialty by a long-time member. That unnamed society has been plagued by a mafia that continues to rule the society even now. 'Nuff said.

Hmm... I didn't have a problem with your editing.