Quotes
“We create ourselves. The sequence is suffering, insight, will, action, change,” - Allen Wheelis
“All that you touch you Change. All that you Change Changes you. The only lasting truth is Change,” - Octavia Butler
“Tradition is a set of solutions for which we have forgotten the problems. Throw away the solution and you get the problem back.” - Author Donald Kingsbury
“There are two ways to get enough. One is to continue to accumulate more and more. The other is to desire less.” - G.K. Chesterton
Articles/Essays
Competence is not the same as IQ – Grey Enlightenment
The article "Competence is not the same as IQ" on Grey Enlightenment discusses the distinction between competence and intelligence, particularly in the context of public figures like Elon Musk. The author argues that while Musk's IQ is likely high, it does not place him among the smartest people in the world, who are typically top pure mathematicians and theoretical physicists. The article emphasizes that business acumen, wealth, and success are unreliable indicators of high intelligence, as these traits are not highly correlated with general cognitive ability (g-factor).
The author explains that intelligence involves making inferences and reasoning quickly and accurately without preparation. In contrast, competence is more domain-specific and develops over time through practice and experience. The article also points out that competence can create the illusion of high intelligence to outsiders, leading to the common misconception that successful and competent individuals must also be very smart.
Key Points
Distinction Between IQ and Competence:
IQ measures general cognitive ability, while competence is domain-specific and developed through practice.
Elon Musk's Intelligence:
While Musk is highly competent and successful, his IQ may not be as high as the public perceives due to the 'halo effect' of his achievements.
Business Acumen and Wealth:
Business success and wealth are unreliable indicators of high intelligence because they do not correlate strongly with general cognitive ability.
Nature of Competence:
Competence involves being good at one's craft for a long time, creating the illusion of high intelligence to outsiders.
The rarity of High IQ:
High intelligence is rarer than wealth; there are more millionaires than individuals who meet the 132 IQ cutoff for Mensa.
Key Quotes
"Competence is not the same as intelligence, and the two are often conflated."
Emphasizing the key difference between competence and intelligence.
"Intelligence is about the ability to make inferences and to reason in a general sense at a moment’s notice, without preparation or acclimatization."
Defining intelligence as quick and accurate reasoning without preparation.
"Competent people are good at their craft, and this competence helps convey or project the illusion or aura of high intelligence to outsiders."
Explaining how competence can create the appearance of high intelligence.
"There are 24 million millionaires in the U.S.–about 1/10 of the adult population–which is still five times more common than meeting the 132 IQ cutoff for Mensa."
Highlighting the rarity of high intelligence compared to wealth.
"Being outwardly successful and competent–as enjoying a high standard of living and a good career–is hardly any assurance of also being smart."
Clarifying that success and competence do not necessarily indicate high intelligence.
Why It Matters
Clarifying Misconceptions:
The article helps dispel common misconceptions about the relationship between intelligence and success, emphasizing the need for a nuanced understanding of these concepts.
Understanding Talent and Success:
By distinguishing between competence and intelligence, the article provides insights into the factors contributing to success, highlighting the importance of practice and domain-specific skills.
Informed Judgments:
Recognizing the difference between competence and intelligence allows for more informed judgments about individuals' abilities, avoiding overestimation based on success alone.
Educational and Professional Implications:
This understanding can influence educational and professional practices by valuing innate cognitive abilities and developing specific competencies through experience and practice.
Policy and Societal Impact:
Policies and societal attitudes that accurately differentiate between intelligence and competence can better address education, employment, and talent management issues.
Overall, the article underscores the importance of recognizing and valuing intelligence and competence in their own right rather than conflating them, leading to a more comprehensive appreciation of human abilities and potential.
Forget “show, don’t tell”. Engage, don’t show! • Lea Verou
In her blog post, "Forget ‘show, don’t tell.’ Engage, don’t show!” Lea Verou discusses the importance of engaging learners actively rather than just showing or telling them information. She reflects on a recent talk about API design and extends the principles she discussed to the broader education and knowledge transfer context.
Verou recounts an experience with her daughter’s piano lesson to illustrate her point. During the lesson, she noticed that her daughter struggled to stay focused because she did not understand the practical application of music theory. This led Verou to realize that effective teaching requires showing students the immediate utility of their learning and allowing them to practice as soon as possible.
She emphasizes that human beings, especially children and those with ADHD, are not naturally inclined to play the long game. They need immediate rewards and practical engagement to stay motivated. Verou argues that presenting knowledge in context, as it becomes relevant, rather than in long theoretical chunks, leads to better retention and comprehension.
Key Points
Engagement Over Showing:
Effective teaching and knowledge transfer require engaging students, not just showing or telling them information.
Contextual Learning:
Information should be presented in context as it becomes relevant to the learner’s goals. This approach makes the purpose of learning clear and provides immediate value.
Immediate Practice:
Learners should be given opportunities to practice new knowledge as soon as possible. This reinforces learning and keeps learners motivated.
Incremental Value:
Good teaching, like good UI design, should ensure that the learner's incremental effort results in incremental value, avoiding steep "usability cliffs.”
Motivation and Attention:
Motivation for learning should be tied to immediate rewards. Long-term goals are less effective motivators, especially for children and those with ADHD.
Empathy in Teaching:
Understanding human nature's limitations and attention spans is crucial for effective knowledge transfer. Educators should always explain why something is useful, even if it seems obvious.
Key Quotes
"Engage, don’t show."
This encapsulates Verou's argument that active engagement is more effective than passive demonstration.
"You can’t retain information not connected to an obvious purpose."
Highlighting the importance of relevance and practical application in learning.
"Humans are animals, and animals don’t play the long game, or they would die."
Emphasizing the innate need for immediate rewards to maintain motivation.
"You will get much better retention if you frequently get them to see the value of their incremental imperfect knowledge than by expecting a big upfront attention investment before they can reap the rewards."
Advocating for incremental learning and immediate application over long theoretical lessons.
"When knowledge is a solution to a problem the student is already facing, its purpose is clear, and it has already been filtered by relevance."
Stressing the effectiveness of contextual learning.
Why It Matters
Lea Verou’s insights are important because they challenge traditional methods of teaching and knowledge transfer that often emphasize theory before practice. Her approach advocates for a more engaging, practical, and empathetic way of learning that can lead to better retention, comprehension, and motivation. This is particularly relevant in today’s fast-paced world, where attention spans are shorter, and the need for immediate application of knowledge is greater.
Educators and communicators can create more effective and enjoyable learning experiences by focusing on engagement and contextual learning.
Where the Time Goes with Age | FlowingData
The article "Where the Time Goes with Age" on FlowingData explores how Americans spend their 24 hours daily as they age, based on data from the 2021-2022 American Time Use Surveys. Nathan Yau analyzes and visualizes the changes in time allocation across different age groups.
Key insights include:
Personal Care: Around 40% of our time is dedicated to personal care activities like sleep and grooming, consistently across age groups.
Education: This takes up a significant portion of the younger years, particularly teens.
Work: Peaks in our 40s, with a major chunk of time in the middle years dedicated to work and household responsibilities.
Leisure: Increases significantly in later years, with a notable amount of time spent watching television.
Exercise: Peaks during the teenage years.
Other Activities: Include commuting, caregiving, shopping, and making phone calls, with variations depending on life stage.
Why is Management So Male? - by Alice Evans (ggd.world)
In the article "Why is Management So Male?" by Alice Evans, the persistent gender gap in senior management roles is examined. Despite various factors influencing career progression, women remain significantly underrepresented in leadership positions. The article explores several hypotheses, including the reluctance of women to apply for promotions, perceived discrimination, and inherent differences in leadership aspirations. Evans highlights a study by Ingrid Haegele that delves into these issues within a large European manufacturing firm, providing insights into the underlying reasons for the gender gap in management.
Key Points
Gender Gap in Promotion Applications:
Women are 27.4% less likely to apply for early-career promotions than men.
This gap persists even after controlling for education, performance, job location, hours constraints, and family status.
Success Rates for Female Applicants:
Women who do apply for promotions are 23.4% more likely to be interviewed and 45.1% more likely to be hired than men.
Perceived Discrimination:
Despite the lower application rates, there is no significant difference in perceived sexism between men and women.
Confidence and Aspirations:
Men are generally more confident and willing to compete for promotions.
Women are 36% less likely to express a desire to lead a team in the next five years.
Work Environment and Flexibility:
The need for locational flexibility does not fully explain the gender gap, as it exists even for promotions within the same city.
Motherhood Penalty:
The reluctance to apply for promotions is not solely due to motherhood, as childless and unmarried women also show lower application rates.
Team Leadership Perceptions:
Women tend to overestimate the challenges of team leadership, seeing it as more conflict-ridden and demanding than it is.
Potential Solutions:
Experimental research could explore the effects of gender quotas, social bonding activities, and sectoral variations on the gender gap in management.
Key Quotes
Success in Applications:
“Conditional on applying for a promotion, women in lower-level positions are 23.4% MORE likely to be INTERVIEWED and 45.1% more likely to be HIRED relative to the outcome mean.”
Team Leadership Aspirations:
“Men typically stressed higher pay or more team leadership. Women differed, being 36% less likely to say they wanted to lead a team.”
Perceptions of Leadership:
“Lower-level women’s perceptions of team leadership are more negative and inaccurate.”
Motherhood Penalty:
“Even women who do not have children and are not married are still less likely to apply for promotions, and are less willing to take on team leadership.”
Why It Matters
Understanding the reasons behind the gender gap in management is crucial for creating more equitable workplaces. The article sheds light on the complex interplay of confidence, aspirations, and perceptions contributing to fewer women in leadership roles. By identifying these factors, organizations can develop targeted strategies to encourage more women to pursue and attain management positions. This is not just about fairness; diverse leadership teams can lead to better decision-making and improved organizational performance.
You Don't Know Me, But I Know You: The Illusion of Asymmetric Insight
The document presents a series of six studies that investigate the phenomenon known as the "illusion of asymmetric insight." This illusion describes the tendency for individuals to believe that they know others better than others know them. The researchers, Emily Pronin, Justin Kruger, Kenneth Savitsky, and Lee Ross, conducted these studies to explore the underlying mechanisms of this bias and its implications for interpersonal and intergroup relationships.
The studies reveal that individuals consistently perceive their knowledge of others to be superior to others' knowledge of them. This perceived asymmetry extends to intrapersonal knowledge (self-knowledge) versus interpersonal knowledge (knowledge of others). The researchers suggest that this bias is partly due to individuals' belief that their internal thoughts and feelings are more hidden and less observable than those of others.
Key Points
Illusion of Asymmetric Insight:
People believe they have greater insight into others than others have into them.
This bias is evident in various interpersonal and intergroup contexts.
Six Studies Overview:
Study 1: Close friends believe they know each other well but perceive their essence as less visible than their friends.
Study 2: College roommates believe they know themselves better than their roommates know them and think they know their roommates better than vice versa.
Study 3: Individuals believe their true selves are revealed in private contexts, while they assume others' true selves are more observable.
Study 4: After brief interactions, individuals believe they have gained more insight into their partner than their partner has into them.
Study 5: Participants view others' responses to word fragments as more revealing than their responses.
Study 6: Members of different social or political groups believe they understand opposing groups better than they do.
Mechanisms Behind the Bias:
Private vs. Public Information: Individuals consider their private thoughts and feelings more revealing of their true selves than observable behavior, which they use to judge others.
Self-Enhancement: Individuals may overestimate their perceptiveness and underestimate the perceptiveness of others.
Implications and Consequences:
Interpersonal Interactions: The bias can lead to misunderstandings and conflicts, as individuals may feel misunderstood or misjudged by others.
Intergroup Relations: Groups may believe they understand other groups better than they are understood, contributing to social and political divides.
Key Quotes
"People think that they know others better than others know them."
"People think they know themselves better than others know themselves."
"Participants seemed to feel that more of whatever it was that made them who they were lay hidden beneath the surface than was the case for their friend."
"The results of Study 4 demonstrated that asymmetrical assessments of one's own knowledge of others versus others' knowledge of oneself could be created in the course of brief interactions between previously unacquainted individuals."
"Members of all three types of groups displayed a bias in assessing intergroup knowledge parallel to the bias our earlier participants had shown in assessing interpersonal knowledge."
Why It Matters
Understanding Social Biases:
This research sheds light on a common cognitive bias that affects everyday social interactions. Recognizing this bias can help individuals and groups understand the roots of misunderstandings and conflicts.
Improving Communication:
By being aware of the illusion of asymmetric insight, individuals can make more conscious efforts to listen and understand others rather than assuming they already know more than they do.
Applications in Various Fields:
The findings are relevant to psychology, conflict resolution, organizational behavior, and political science. They can inform strategies for improving interpersonal relationships, team dynamics, and intergroup dialogue.
Encouraging Empathy:
Highlighting the bias can promote empathy and self-awareness, encouraging people to consider that others might see them more clearly than they believe.
In conclusion, the research detailed in the document provides valuable insights into how individuals perceive their own and others' knowledge. Understanding the illusion of asymmetric insight can help improve personal relationships and reduce conflicts in various social and professional contexts.
Obvious travel advice - DYNOMIGHT INTERNET NEWSLETTER (substack.com)
1. Mindset and Companionship Matter More than Destination
Mindset: The way you approach your travel experience significantly influences your enjoyment. A positive, open, and flexible attitude can transform your experience, making even unforeseen challenges part of the adventure.
Companionship: Traveling with the right people can enhance the experience. Shared interests, compatible travel styles, and good communication are key. The dynamics of relationships can be tested during travel, revealing strengths and weaknesses.
2. Stress-Testing Relationships
New Couples: Short trips often serve as a litmus test for new couples, exposing how they handle stress, decision-making, and compromise. This can either strengthen the relationship or highlight incompatibilities.
Instinctual Desire: The notion that couples instinctively use travel to test their relationship suggests that travel intensifies normal interactions, providing a concentrated environment to observe each other's behaviors and reactions.
3. Pack Light Only if Everyone Does
Group Dynamics: If only one person packs light, it can create disparities in flexibility and mobility. When everyone packs light, the group can move more efficiently and adapt to changes more easily.
Practicality: Coordinating packing strategies within a group ensures that everyone is on the same page, reducing potential friction and enhancing the overall travel experience.
4. Embrace Being a Tourist
Tourist vs. Traveler: The anxiety around being labeled a "tourist" can detract from the experience. Embracing the role allows you to engage with the destination without unnecessary self-consciousness.
Enjoyment: Accepting that you are a visitor can free you from the pressure of trying to blend in and allow you to enjoy the sights, sounds, and experiences more fully.
5. Cultural Awareness
Behavioral Norms: Understanding and respecting local customs and behaviors can prevent misunderstandings and help you integrate more smoothly into the local environment. This includes norms around personal space, noise levels, and etiquette in public places.
Mutual Respect: Being aware of cultural differences helps you avoid offending others but also helps you avoid being offended by behaviors that are normal in the local context.
6. Conform to Local Customs
Local Rules: Small things like when to order drinks or how to eat certain foods can vary widely. While these may seem trivial, conforming to them shows respect and can enhance your cultural experience.
Practicality: Adapting to local customs can make interactions smoother and more pleasant, helping you connect with locals and better understand their way of life.
7. Non-verbal Communication
Language Barriers: When verbal communication is limited, nonverbal cues, such as body language, facial expressions, and gestures, become crucial.
Judgment: People will often judge you based on these non-verbal signals, so being conscious of them can help you make a positive impression.
8. Dress Slightly Better
Impression: Dressing slightly better than usual can help you be perceived more positively, which can be particularly important in places where appearance is highly valued.
Comfort: While comfort is important, finding a balance between comfort and presentability can enhance your interactions and experiences.
9. Restaurant Strategies
Tourist Traps: Restaurants in tourist-heavy areas often focus on volume over quality. Knowing this can help you set realistic expectations and seek out better options.
Local Gems: Venturing away from tourist hotspots and finding local favorites can lead to more authentic and satisfying dining experiences.
10. Travel Isn’t Always Fun
Realistic Expectations: Acknowledging that travel can be challenging and not always enjoyable helps manage expectations. This includes dealing with long flights, jet lag, and cultural differences.
Alienation: Feeling out of place or alienated is common in travel. Embracing these moments as part of the experience can lead to personal growth and a deeper understanding of different cultures.
Additional Advice and Perspectives
Cultural Differences and Adaptation
Arbitrary Variations: Different cultures have unique and sometimes arbitrary rules about everyday activities. Recognizing and adapting to these differences can prevent frustration and enhance your travel experience.
Conformity: While it might seem silly sometimes, conforming to local customs can demonstrate respect and make your travel more enjoyable.
Travel Clothing and Comfort
Travel Clothes: While specialized travel clothing can be practical, balancing comfort with appearance is important. Avoiding overly "touristy" attire can help you blend in more comfortably.
Washing Clothes: Simple tips like washing clothes in the sink and using body heat to dry them can make packing lighter and traveling easier.
Restaurant Strategies
Customer Attraction: Be cautious of restaurants that actively try to attract customers from the street; they might prioritize getting people in the door over providing quality service.
Local Favorites: Even if a restaurant looks unappealing, a local crowd can indicate good food or value. Learning what locals order can enhance your dining experience.
Traveling Smart
Nature Spots: Popular nature spots in touristy areas can get crowded, while equally beautiful but lesser-known spots nearby might be nearly empty.
Safety Tips: Simple safety tips, like being cautious with beach umbrellas in windy conditions and being prepared with basic medical supplies, can make your travels safer and more pleasant.
Jet Lag and Travel Fatigue
Jet Lag: Strategies for dealing with jet lag include pre-adjusting your sleep schedule and avoiding alcohol on long flights. Being functional after changing time zones is often more important than trying to "beat" jet lag.
Sensory Experiences: Some travelers excel at immersing themselves in sensory experiences, which can make travel more profound. Making a conscious effort to engage with your surroundings can enhance your experience.
Value of Travel
Perspective on Life: Travel can offer valuable perspectives on your regular life, prompting reflections on your lifestyle, work, and daily routines.
Appreciation: Experiencing different ways of life can lead to a greater appreciation of stability, routine, and community at home.
By incorporating these detailed insights and practical tips, you can enhance your travel experiences, making them more enjoyable, meaningful, and less stressful.
In Defense of 'Tarpit Ideas' - by Anu Atluru (workingtheorys.com)
In the article "In Defense of 'Tarpit Ideas'" in the Working Theorys newsletter, Anu Atluru challenges the conventional wisdom that dismisses “tarpit ideas” as unworthy of pursuit. Tarpit ideas initially seem appealing but often fail due to being resource-intensive and having broad but shallow appeal. Atluru argues that while experienced founders and venture capitalists often avoid these ideas, they can still be valuable, especially for non-venture-backed endeavors. By focusing on smaller, dedicated communities and sustainable growth, tarpit ideas can succeed without scaling massively. The article encourages rethinking and reassessing the potential of these ideas based on individual goals rather than dismissing them outright.
Key Points
1. Definition of Tarpit Ideas
Definition: Ideas that seem enticing and have broad appeal but often become resource drains and ultimately fail.
Examples: Online reviews from friends, tools for organizing travel plans, personal productivity apps, and better podcast discovery tools.
2. Conventional Wisdom vs. Innovation
Conventional Wisdom: Experienced founders and investors often warn against pursuing tarpit ideas due to their tendency to fail.
Anti-Innovation: Atluru argues that dismissing tarpit ideas is anti-innovation for everyday consumers and heavily influenced by venture capital perspectives.
3. Potential of Tarpit Ideas
Successful Examples: Some of the most successful consumer products, such as Facebook, Instagram, DoorDash, and Yelp, started as what could be considered tarpit ideas.
Goal-Dependent Success: The success of an idea is highly dependent on the goals. While venture capital seeks massive scale, smaller-scale, sustainable, and community-focused projects can still succeed.
4. Reframing Tarpit Ideas
Non-Venture-Backed Routes: For those not seeking venture capital, tarpit ideas can be pursued for their potential to create beloved, sustainable products.
Minimum Viable Scale: These ideas can be viable if they emphasize a smaller, dedicated user base rather than a massive scale.
5. Strategies for Success
Niche Markets: Targeting specific, underserved markets can help tarpit ideas thrive.
Lean and Sustainable Approach: Adopting a lean, profitability-focused approach can mitigate the risks associated with tarpit ideas.
Contextual Critiques: While critiques of tarpit ideas are valid, they need to be considered in the context of the project's specific goals and strategies.
Key Quotes
"It’s anti-innovation for the everyday consumer."
Significance: Highlights how dismissing tarpit ideas stifles innovation that could benefit everyday users.
"If you’re seeking a 'venture scale' return, you’re much more likely to dismiss such ideas."
Significance: Points out the venture capital bias in evaluating the potential of ideas.
"My aim isn’t fixated on massive scale but on creating a product I love, sustainably and cost-effectively, for a dedicated community."
Significance: Emphasizes the value of creating meaningful products even on a smaller scale.
"The usual venture capital rules flip. It’s not about being non-consensus right. You can be consensus right with something that you believe in, even on a small scale, and still succeed."
Significance: Suggests that success can be found in widely appealing ideas if they are executed well for a targeted audience.
Why It Matters
Encouraging Innovation:
Broadening Horizons: By defending tarpit ideas, Atluru encourages innovators to explore and develop ideas that might otherwise be dismissed, potentially leading to new and beneficial products.
Challenging Norms: This perspective challenges the venture capital-driven narrative, opening up opportunities for more diverse forms of innovation.
Supporting Small-Scale Success:
Sustainable Growth: Emphasizing sustainable and community-focused growth aligns with the increasing interest in ethical and responsible business practices.
Empowering Entrepreneurs: Entrepreneurs not seeking massive venture capital investments can find validation and encouragement to pursue their ideas.
Reevaluating Failure:
Contextual Success: Reframing the concept of failure based on the project's goals and strategies rather than broad market success can redefine what it means to have a successful venture.
Learning Opportunities: even if they fail, Tarpit's ideas can provide valuable learning experiences and insights contributing to future success.
Fostering Niche Markets:
Underserved Communities: Tarpit ideas can address the needs of niche markets and underserved communities, providing tailored solutions that larger, more generic products might overlook.
Innovation Ecosystem: Supporting these ideas can create a more vibrant and diverse innovation ecosystem, with various products catering to different needs and preferences.
By reconsidering the potential of tarpit ideas, we can foster a more inclusive and innovative environment where diverse ideas have the opportunity to flourish and make an impact, regardless of their initial market appeal or scalability.