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Just because you choose to believe you need to be fed your information doesn't mean others do. I've tutored people carrying the thoughts you're expressing ("I n

Just because you choose to believe you need to be fed your information doesn't mean others do. I've tutored people carrying the thoughts you're expressing ("I need someone to teach me this because I'm not smart enough to learn it on my own"). The quickest way to success with them was shattering that myth. I did it by talking to them about their feelings/beliefs and helping them figure out practices for changing their minds about themselves. Here's a great paper called The Debugging Mindset on cultivating a growth oriented perspective an why it's important: https://queue.acm.org/detail.cfm?id=3068754 https://queue.acm.org/detail.cfm?id=3068754 I hope you can develop a more empowered perspective of yourself and others though reading it.

eldavido 8y ago
It's not about being "fed information". It's the reality that being around a motivated group of peers confers real advantage. I look at the history of art (e.g. Impressionists), YC, winning athletics programs, Silicon Valley, or just about any well-regarded academic department as evidence. These places don't do well just because they select the best, they also MAKE the best by creating an environment that fosters it.
- mindcrime 8y ago
  Maybe your reality. Anecdotally, my peers never did anything of note to help me learn anything in any math classes. These days I am working on relearning the math I've forgotten, and going beyond where I stopped in college. I have found that a combination of books, YouTube videos of lectures, Kahn Academy, Math Overflow / math.se, and subreddits like /r/learnmath, etc. have been sufficient.
- crawfordcomeaux 8y ago
  "The best" is purely subjective. I look at indigenous cultures who were able to resolve conflicts and share resources without hierarchical governments. They developed approaches to doing things western culture is only now relearning. Also, your "best people" developed systems to addict us with little concern for their systemic impacts. If that's your version of best, I want better.
  - eldavido 8y ago
    > "The best" is purely subjective Bullshit. Find me one "indigenous culture" as advanced as a modern developed western country (or China) and I'll believe you. I don't care whether your metric is life expectancy, scientific progress, quantity and quality of art produced, fairness of our legal system, political/religious freedom, lack of food scarcity, or corruption. You pick. We in the West have it as good as anyone ever did in the history of the world. Tell me one thing "western culture is only new relearning", I'd be interested to hear?
    - deleted 8y ago
      [deleted]
    - crawfordcomeaux 8y ago
      We don't have a fair legal system, so I'd say that's a place where we could learn from them. Also, being connected to the land. Consent practices, as well. How to learn principles of life from observing nature. Oh, and we totally have food scarcity, too. There's stuff there to learn, if you're willing to accept the idea that perhaps your culture has room to grow.

eldavido 8y ago

It's not about being "fed information". It's the reality that being around a motivated group of peers confers real advantage. I look at the history of art (e.g. Impressionists), YC, winning athletics programs, Silicon Valley, or just about any well-regarded academic department as evidence. These places don't do well just because they select the best, they also MAKE the best by creating an environment that fosters it.

mindcrime 8y ago
Maybe your reality. Anecdotally, my peers never did anything of note to help me learn anything in any math classes. These days I am working on relearning the math I've forgotten, and going beyond where I stopped in college. I have found that a combination of books, YouTube videos of lectures, Kahn Academy, Math Overflow / math.se, and subreddits like /r/learnmath, etc. have been sufficient.
crawfordcomeaux 8y ago
"The best" is purely subjective. I look at indigenous cultures who were able to resolve conflicts and share resources without hierarchical governments. They developed approaches to doing things western culture is only now relearning. Also, your "best people" developed systems to addict us with little concern for their systemic impacts. If that's your version of best, I want better.
- eldavido 8y ago
  > "The best" is purely subjective Bullshit. Find me one "indigenous culture" as advanced as a modern developed western country (or China) and I'll believe you. I don't care whether your metric is life expectancy, scientific progress, quantity and quality of art produced, fairness of our legal system, political/religious freedom, lack of food scarcity, or corruption. You pick. We in the West have it as good as anyone ever did in the history of the world. Tell me one thing "western culture is only new relearning", I'd be interested to hear?
  - deleted 8y ago
    [deleted]
  - crawfordcomeaux 8y ago
    We don't have a fair legal system, so I'd say that's a place where we could learn from them. Also, being connected to the land. Consent practices, as well. How to learn principles of life from observing nature. Oh, and we totally have food scarcity, too. There's stuff there to learn, if you're willing to accept the idea that perhaps your culture has room to grow.