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Follow Your Curiosity. Read Your Ass Off

askjerry.substack.com

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Re: Follow Your Curiosity. Read Your Ass Off

#2
While the main advise seems useful, "if you get interest in a thing, read a ton about it", this article is quite misleading. Not all sources are relevant, I don't know about Buddhism, but psychology is mentioned with psychoanalysis and it's not a science, while psychology is. Seems more about a new-age thing than really seeking correct information.

Re: Follow Your Curiosity. Read Your Ass Off

#3
post #2

While the main advise seems useful, "if you get interest in a thing, read a ton about it", this article is quite misleading. Not all sources are relevant, I don't know about Buddhism, but psychology is mentioned with psychoanalysis and it's not a science, while psychology is. Seems more about a new-age thing than really seeking correct information.

I think the article is saying that, should you read something interesting, pursuing that interest will provide meaningful insights. The author is saying that "sources" aren't as relevant as the history of interesting ideas. They are not saying read all sources. Just read a lot about the things that interest you.

I find this strategy works very well for so many topics, specifically politics, economics, history, and more. Read 5 books on contemporary economics and you will be infinitely more informed than if you watch economics or market segments on news stations for 5 years. What you'll learn by reading those books is more than just some dry economic tautologies, you'll see the history of economic theory. So and so theorized economics like this, then they were disproven, then someone started talking about behavioral economics, etc etc. That seems to be much more useful than any alternative I know of.

Re: Follow Your Curiosity. Read Your Ass Off

#4
And, at a certain point, be on guard against too much reading, as Einstein warned[1]:

> Reading, after a certain age, diverts the mind too much from its creative pursuits. Any man who reads too much and uses his own brain too little falls into lazy habits of thinking, just as the man who spends too much time in the theater is tempted to be content with living vicariously instead of living his own life.

[1] http://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/wp-content/uploads/sateve...

Re: Follow Your Curiosity. Read Your Ass Off

#6
post #4

And, at a certain point, be on guard against too much reading, as Einstein warned[1]: > Reading, after a certain age, diverts the mind too much from its creative pursuits. Any man who reads too much and uses his own brain too little falls into lazy habits of thinking, just as the man who spends too much time in the theater is tempted to be content with living vicariously instead of living his own life. [1] http://www…

Unfortunately, the overwhelming majority of people are very far from having to worry about too much reading.

Re: Follow Your Curiosity. Read Your Ass Off

#8
post #4

And, at a certain point, be on guard against too much reading, as Einstein warned[1]: > Reading, after a certain age, diverts the mind too much from its creative pursuits. Any man who reads too much and uses his own brain too little falls into lazy habits of thinking, just as the man who spends too much time in the theater is tempted to be content with living vicariously instead of living his own life. [1] http://www…

That's an incredible quote that should be plastered over every single news posting on reddit and Facebook. Maybe people would realize reading about politics is completely a waste of time.

Re: Follow Your Curiosity. Read Your Ass Off

#9
post #2

While the main advise seems useful, "if you get interest in a thing, read a ton about it", this article is quite misleading. Not all sources are relevant, I don't know about Buddhism, but psychology is mentioned with psychoanalysis and it's not a science, while psychology is. Seems more about a new-age thing than really seeking correct information.

Surely books about psychoanalysis are reliable sources of correct information about psychoanalysis

Re: Follow Your Curiosity. Read Your Ass Off

#10
post #4

And, at a certain point, be on guard against too much reading, as Einstein warned[1]: > Reading, after a certain age, diverts the mind too much from its creative pursuits. Any man who reads too much and uses his own brain too little falls into lazy habits of thinking, just as the man who spends too much time in the theater is tempted to be content with living vicariously instead of living his own life. [1] http://www…

That's an incredible quote that should be plastered over every single news posting on reddit and Facebook. Maybe people would realize reading about politics is completely a waste of time.

It's like watching the Hindenburg.

Sure, it's a waste of time, but are you not going to watch the Hindenburg?

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