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Ask HN: Staying Sharp

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Re: Ask HN: Staying Sharp

#41

Post by californiaguy »

motoko wrote: post #37
apu wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wow this is some bad advice. And with an arrogant/demeaning attitude to match.

The advice was "do something worth being sharp." The attitude communicated was relevant. It was good advice. It was: "don't be such a pussy." It works. If it didn't, then athletic and military leaders wouldn't use it.

If I were to talk to him directly I would tell him to either drop out of school and be hardcore at his work, or drop out of work and be hardcore with school. At this point in his life he hasn't actually finished or built a damn thing, academically or professionally, and he's wondering why he's going soft.

Like he was some kind of superstar and now he's past the prime of his life? LOL.

I mean I realize I'm being kind of an asshole here, but geeez.

Re: Ask HN: Staying Sharp

#42

Post by edw519 »

californiaguy wrote: post #20
apu wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wow this is some bad advice. And with an arrogant/demeaning attitude to match.

> bad advice Most reality-based advice is hard to listen to and sounds arrogant and demeaning. Too often HN is just a circle jerk session of smart people telling each other what they want to hear ... possibly on a thread about how the ignorant unwashed masses are so easily tricked by confirmation bias.

The advice is welcome. The attitude sucks. Stick around and find some good experiences here at HN; maybe that'll lighten you up.

Re: Ask HN: Staying Sharp

#43

Post by bigmac »

rw wrote: post #24

What do you think about reading academic papers and posting distilled versions to a blog? How about doing a reading course with a professor-friend of yours?

I've considered the first option for myself, actually. Would it provide actual value for people or just be perceived as blogspam?

Re: Ask HN: Staying Sharp

#44

Post by rw »

bigmac wrote: post #43
rw wrote: post #24

What do you think about reading academic papers and posting distilled versions to a blog? How about doing a reading course with a professor-friend of yours?

I've considered the first option for myself, actually. Would it provide actual value for people or just be perceived as blogspam?

If you actually understand the paper, and can communicate that understanding, it will definitely be useful.

Re: Ask HN: Staying Sharp

#45

Post by kalid »

jperras wrote: post #28
rw wrote: post #24

What do you think about reading academic papers and posting distilled versions to a blog? How about doing a reading course with a professor-friend of yours?

I never considered either of those, actually. I think reading & interpreting results from academic papers and posting 'distilled' versions to a blog would actually be pretty good, especially since I'd (hopefully) get some constructive criticism out of it as well.

I can second this. When I learn about new topics I like to blog about them (betterexplained.com) to help cement what I've learned, and have a way to relearn (in my own words) a topic once I've inevitably forgotten. I think you'll find this rewarding for yourself and others.

Re: Ask HN: Staying Sharp

#46

Post by caffeine »

Some points about this:

(0) There is no maintenance diet. Getting sharper is necessary to be sharp. If you're not getting smarter, you're getting dumber.

(1) Reading is NOT the solution. Much as regular masturbation does not much improve your sexual technique, regular book/article/blog-reading does not much hone your mental edge.

(2) You got sharp => you know how to get sharp. Do the same thing. In other words: figure out the next piece of physics that really interests you. Get the classic research monograph. Attack all the thorniest problems with vigor and delight. Repeat.

(3) Time is an issue - you don't have much of it, and what you spend it on at the moment is worthwhile. I think if you devote some small period of time each week (after dinner on Sunday evening, say) to practicing (2), you will come to look forward to that time each week, and will feel your clarity return. In the end, the key is regularity.

Re: Ask HN: Staying Sharp

#47

Post by benatkin »

mechanical_fish wrote: post #33
jperras wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I actually have 3 credits (equivalent to one class) in a non-science related field left to my degree, which I will be finishing in the next semester. Most of the classes I took were honours level, and my GPA was quite average. My grades suffered a bit from me needing to work quite a bit to pay tuition, but that's not something that particularly bothers me. I learned much from working in the 'real world', and the few…

I've been thinking about going to grad school in a few years, perhaps in a more CS-related domain... Don't do it. Unless you want to become an academic, with all the attendant downsides and risks -- which you apparently do not. It sounds like you've got the usual problem: You were used to school, you were good at school, you had thoroughly internalized the vague and quixotic goal of the student ("the insatiable quest…

To add to this, also think about why you didn't thrive in the academic environment and get a PhD in 8 years, like some do. If you go back, what will be different?

I think for me, it was the boredom. There was the busywork handed out by the teachers, and the slacker culture that permeated the small state university I went to. If I hadn't been so bored, perhaps I could have stayed on the path.

Re: Ask HN: Staying Sharp

#49

Post by pageman »

I think we can help academia by using web apps to create ease off some of the computational requirements needed for papers like factor analysis, MDS, multiple regression etc. - also for surveys etc. My educated guess is that some of the confirmatory factor analysis for something seminal like Hofsteder's work could easily be done in various countries if the people working on the papers have someone with a web app development backgroun.

Re: Ask HN: Staying Sharp

#50

Post by pageman »

jperras wrote: post #28
rw wrote: post #24

What do you think about reading academic papers and posting distilled versions to a blog? How about doing a reading course with a professor-friend of yours?

I never considered either of those, actually. I think reading & interpreting results from academic papers and posting 'distilled' versions to a blog would actually be pretty good, especially since I'd (hopefully) get some constructive criticism out of it as well.

a lot of journals accept reviews also! and they have revenue models as well! :)
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