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One issue I have is that I can't bullshit people. I had a friend who I was trying to explain things to, and often I made it too complicated. Another friend expl

One issue I have is that I can't bullshit people. I had a friend who I was trying to explain things to, and often I made it too complicated. Another friend explained it to her satisfaction, but I thought the particular explanation given was deceiving. And yet she didn't care. I think it is possible to be honest and yet simplify things to whatever level, but I'd rather fail at explaining than give a false explanation.

splatzone 7y ago
I find it's good to let people know that 'it's actually a bit more complicated than this, but...'
- thinkmassive 7y ago
  To illustrate this I like to use the analogy of very basic physics. Even someone who never took calculus can usually grasp the concept of first learning ideal velocity and acceleration, then adding details like friction.
newnewpdro 7y ago
I'm similar, but have learned to just be more iterative when explaining complex topics. Start with the simplest conveyance, which usually is riddled with the most bullshit. If you don't lose them, just add the corrections, if there are too many, only add some of the corrections, rinse, repeat.
- orblivion 7y ago
  To be clear I don't mind simplifications, metaphors, etc. I just don't like _bad_ metaphors that are desired just because they're satisfying. Bad simplification: "The CPU is like the brain of your computer" Better simplification: "The CPU is like the conductor of your computer" You may not think my "better simplification" is so great either. The point is, somebody may be satisfied with the "brain" answer because it feels right, but (IMO) it doesn't actually give you a better understanding of the situation.
whatshisface 7y ago
One of my favorite personal examples of the results of deceivingly pat explanations is the time when, in undergrad, an English major got on my case for "not understanding black holes." They had taken a general physics course and I was working my way through upper division.
ssully 7y ago
Honestly reminds me of posters here complaining that an article/headline is click bait, when it's really just an attempt to simplify something for more people. People assume it's malicious, when it's really doing what you friend seems to be good at - reducing an explanation in a way that might not be as accurate, but get the general point across more easily for people.
- sdijs0934 7y ago
  But there's a difference between simplifying and changing. This is a bit of a skill in itself: presenting simplified versions of information without misleading the learner. When learning, I don't appreciate reading a description of something, thinking about it, generating my own conclusions, then finally reading forward to find I had been misled not by my own fault but by faulty explanations. As an example, a book I read on SQL was narrated from the point of view of an employee at a startup and stated that indexes on views were efficient, but then eventually backtracked on that statement, saying that this is only true for materialized views.
  - jhgjklj 7y ago
    Your account name is displayed in green is that because you have 1 karma point and you are new user ?
meowface 7y ago
I'm sorry to inform you you're not cut out for middle management.

splatzone 7y ago

I find it's good to let people know that 'it's actually a bit more complicated than this, but...'

thinkmassive 7y ago
To illustrate this I like to use the analogy of very basic physics. Even someone who never took calculus can usually grasp the concept of first learning ideal velocity and acceleration, then adding details like friction.

newnewpdro 7y ago

I'm similar, but have learned to just be more iterative when explaining complex topics. Start with the simplest conveyance, which usually is riddled with the most bullshit. If you don't lose them, just add the corrections, if there are too many, only add some of the corrections, rinse, repeat.

orblivion 7y ago
To be clear I don't mind simplifications, metaphors, etc. I just don't like _bad_ metaphors that are desired just because they're satisfying. Bad simplification: "The CPU is like the brain of your computer" Better simplification: "The CPU is like the conductor of your computer" You may not think my "better simplification" is so great either. The point is, somebody may be satisfied with the "brain" answer because it feels right, but (IMO) it doesn't actually give you a better understanding of the situation.

whatshisface 7y ago

One of my favorite personal examples of the results of deceivingly pat explanations is the time when, in undergrad, an English major got on my case for "not understanding black holes." They had taken a general physics course and I was working my way through upper division.

ssully 7y ago

Honestly reminds me of posters here complaining that an article/headline is click bait, when it's really just an attempt to simplify something for more people. People assume it's malicious, when it's really doing what you friend seems to be good at - reducing an explanation in a way that might not be as accurate, but get the general point across more easily for people.

sdijs0934 7y ago
But there's a difference between simplifying and changing. This is a bit of a skill in itself: presenting simplified versions of information without misleading the learner. When learning, I don't appreciate reading a description of something, thinking about it, generating my own conclusions, then finally reading forward to find I had been misled not by my own fault but by faulty explanations. As an example, a book I read on SQL was narrated from the point of view of an employee at a startup and stated that indexes on views were efficient, but then eventually backtracked on that statement, saying that this is only true for materialized views.
- jhgjklj 7y ago
  Your account name is displayed in green is that because you have 1 karma point and you are new user ?

meowface 7y ago

I'm sorry to inform you you're not cut out for middle management.