4 ms·

> Especially if you have any thoughts like, "I learn some really interesting stuff, so if only I could retain what I learn..." I'm not sure I follow, is that a

by t_mann 4y ago

> Especially if you have any thoughts like, "I learn some really interesting stuff, so if only I could retain what I learn..." I'm not sure I follow, is that a risk factor or a positive indication in your opinion? My goal isn't to shine with this knowledge in conversations (apart from technical job interviews maybe).

themodelplumber 4y ago
There's a set of personality dynamics that works like this. Really common in tech: - My unspoken (if even consciously known) mission is to not be caught dead not-knowing things. - So I will always learn things. I keep buying books, I subscribe to learning-focused services, use my library card, etc. - However, I have this really damn embarrassing tendency to forget stuff, just at the wrong time! - I've already got the big picture down--that's boring, I could talk about the big picture all day (future, low detail) and I can generally see where things are going in the world. - So, I will work on my memory, bc that's interesting. (past, high detail, can be overlaid on the future for some pattern extrapolation even) To some, there's an additional performer-complication: "My memory will help me perform well, and a good performance is my unspoken mission in life." This could apply to debates, job interviews, who knows what. This loose chain of various factors would, in my mind, point at someone who is likely to overidealize the impact of memory improvements in their life. It also points at someone who should work on subjective knowledge organization before getting into any memory improvements. They should have an external system which for all practical purposes supports the most likely or common holes in their memory. This will also give them designer-builder energy that they usually also crave, it will solve memory problems in the big picture (using a perceptive view-gift of the future to solve a weakness). So it's like a loose subjective risk factor based on some alignment or non-alignments with those things. Otherwise, some amount of memory work is really handy. I mean you'll never forget a thing you really want to remember, ever again. It's a muscle that requires conscious work, but still...I mean I can remember grocery lists from over 30 years ago, critical film theorists from 20 years ago, and how could I ever forget seeing my favorite pair of lazy-day flip-flops looking up at me from within a circuit diagram? That kind of thing.
- t_mann 4y ago
  Yeah, the whole 'life-hack' mindset can be quite toxic. But frankly, my other procrastination habits (mostly browsing comment sites like HN) aren't much better (actually quite bad [0]), so if this one comes with a timer and a daily limit it may actually help reduce screen time. Funny enough, the very first thing I 'ankified' just before writing the post was something I picked up very recently as an alternative to browsing the phone on my commute, solving a Rubik's cube. [0] https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/24/well/mind/putting-down-your-phone-may-help-you-live-longer.html https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/24/well/mind/putting-down-yo...

by t_mann 4y ago

themodelplumber 4y ago

There's a set of personality dynamics that works like this. Really common in tech: - My unspoken (if even consciously known) mission is to not be caught dead not-knowing things. - So I will always learn things. I keep buying books, I subscribe to learning-focused services, use my library card, etc. - However, I have this really damn embarrassing tendency to forget stuff, just at the wrong time! - I've already got the big picture down--that's boring, I could talk about the big picture all day (future, low detail) and I can generally see where things are going in the world. - So, I will work on my memory, bc that's interesting. (past, high detail, can be overlaid on the future for some pattern extrapolation even) To some, there's an additional performer-complication: "My memory will help me perform well, and a good performance is my unspoken mission in life." This could apply to debates, job interviews, who knows what. This loose chain of various factors would, in my mind, point at someone who is likely to overidealize the impact of memory improvements in their life. It also points at someone who should work on subjective knowledge organization before getting into any memory improvements. They should have an external system which for all practical purposes supports the most likely or common holes in their memory. This will also give them designer-builder energy that they usually also crave, it will solve memory problems in the big picture (using a perceptive view-gift of the future to solve a weakness). So it's like a loose subjective risk factor based on some alignment or non-alignments with those things. Otherwise, some amount of memory work is really handy. I mean you'll never forget a thing you really want to remember, ever again. It's a muscle that requires conscious work, but still...I mean I can remember grocery lists from over 30 years ago, critical film theorists from 20 years ago, and how could I ever forget seeing my favorite pair of lazy-day flip-flops looking up at me from within a circuit diagram? That kind of thing.

t_mann 4y ago
Yeah, the whole 'life-hack' mindset can be quite toxic. But frankly, my other procrastination habits (mostly browsing comment sites like HN) aren't much better (actually quite bad [0]), so if this one comes with a timer and a daily limit it may actually help reduce screen time. Funny enough, the very first thing I 'ankified' just before writing the post was something I picked up very recently as an alternative to browsing the phone on my commute, solving a Rubik's cube. [0] https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/24/well/mind/putting-down-your-phone-may-help-you-live-longer.html https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/24/well/mind/putting-down-yo...