381–390 of 839 posts
Earlier quoted context omitted.
> Of all the people who read that quote and nod along thinking, “yes this is me” how many are actually right? Those who actually fight their way through their creative difficulties as the quote suggests, as opposed to those who read the quote and think "yup, no one recognizes my good taste, screw em".
Except as the quote actually says, it is advice to beginners.
A decade of success against steep odds later, I ran into the high school teacher who I idolized and who helped me actually achieve something. Most teachers tolerated me or insulated the rest of the classroom from me. But he put in the effort to get me engaged with something that got me to sit down and try. I was excited to show him what his work had helped me accomplish. He had two things to share with me: 1. He does…
My background in mathematics and there is an unhealthy adulation of genius. Granted, praise of genius is warranted, but it becomes too much.
One symptom of this is that almost every theorem is named for whoever discovered it. Gauss this or Euler that. Shannon this or Nyquist that. What can happen is you begin to think of mathematics in terms of making a mark and having something named after you, and not actually about the objective beautiful reality of the mathematics before you. The mathematics is greater than the discoverer--it certainly isn't owned by them!
Or to put it another way: Focus on the joy of the task at hand, not on the hope of adulation from the task well finished.
It is a good way to reduce anxiety.
Ignorance can be bliss. Didn't change my life, but has definitely helped me in a lot of cases, especially recent times. Generally speaking, I can't affect what is currently happening in the news, despite how upsetting it might be, and it won't even affect me in a lot of cases. I try to consume little information for things I don't care about or will have a negative effect on me as a way to spare myself from anxiety.…
Erik Hagerman is on a four year news blackout: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/10/style/the-man-who-knew-to...
Earlier quoted context omitted.
I don't think you should be downvoted, because you speak truth. The comment/quote is factually wrong: not everyone who gets into creative work has "good taste", nor is Ira Glass correct that you just need to plow through it. Go peruse an end-of-senior-year art exhibit or dance recital at your local college. Bless 'em, they worked hard and gave it their best, but usually the raw creativity and talent isn't there.
I don't think your example disproves Glass' statement. Surely students are in the beginner phases and their work does not represent their full potential. Glass' statement seems to say forgive students (and yourself for being one) instead of writing them off as hopeless.
A decade of success against steep odds later, I ran into the high school teacher who I idolized and who helped me actually achieve something. Most teachers tolerated me or insulated the rest of the classroom from me. But he put in the effort to get me engaged with something that got me to sit down and try. I was excited to show him what his work had helped me accomplish. He had two things to share with me: 1. He does…
But it's also much more than that - he's not just a guy, he's one of just a few guys that put in the effort to do their job well and honestly. And that positive daily effort had profound effects on the lives of people he cared about. (And conversely, those that did not put in that effort did not create profound and positive wakes). And that idea can be paid forward. There are plenty of times one doesn't get to go bac…
Ignorance can be bliss. Didn't change my life, but has definitely helped me in a lot of cases, especially recent times. Generally speaking, I can't affect what is currently happening in the news, despite how upsetting it might be, and it won't even affect me in a lot of cases. I try to consume little information for things I don't care about or will have a negative effect on me as a way to spare myself from anxiety.…
If the information won't affect my behavior/actions, I choose not to invest time into it.
This allows for me peruse headlines to be aware of what's happening (and to consider looking further into something), but keeps me uninvested enough to avoid becoming emotionally consumed by things I won't be taking some action toward/against.