Re: On learning something new
The following is taken from a private exchange. I am publishing it with permission from my correspondent without disclosing their name and contact details.
I was curious, what is your general approach to learning something new? For example, say you become interested in lockpicking (locksport). What would your approach be to learn this?
In general my approach goes something so likes so:
- See if there is a subreddit dedicated to the topic, “r/locksport/” in this case.
- See there “Wiki” section (r/locksport/wiki/index) and read through any type of “Beginner” resources.
- If there is a recommended book, I will begin with that, then move on towards interactive courses, or lastly, YouTube videos.
If there is no subreddit, than I will likely search online for “Locksport book” or perhaps “Locksport filetype:pdf” and go from there. You’re a very knowledgeable person so I would love to see how you approach learning.
Before even learning something new, I question whether I even need that skill or piece of knowledge. This is because I do not have enough time to commit to everything I would otherwise be keen on exploring.
For me, it is essential to be mindful of one’s tendency to go down rabbit holes. If you do not control your propensity to indulge your curiosity then you run the risk of not focusing on your duties and thus never experiencing fulfilment. I basically have infinite curiosity as well as the basic skills to become competent at virtually anything, but my resources are finite, so I have to optimise accordingly.
I think it is rewarding to hold yourself back from that which is impressed in your mind as new and shiny. Yes, it is attractive though it comes with considerable hidden costs. Commit to what you have. Only expand your activities when there is a deep-seated reason for it, at which point you are prepared to incur whatever costs in pursuit of the expected benefits.
In other words, know your limits and live within your means.
To your point, I think your approach is good. Though I am cautious of Reddit as the advice you get there will not necessarily be reliable. This is not because others are trying to deceive you, but simply a consequence of the mismatch of available information, wants, and priorities.
I will use Emacs as an example. If you go to the subreddit for it to ask any question you will likely get answers that you cannot seamlessly integrate in your current knowledge. The respondents do not know exactly what your current level is, are not aware of your usage patterns, cannot anticipate your immediate needs, and probably do not think the way you do.
Depending on your question, you will get diametrically opposed views. Each contributor may be right within the context of their respective workflow, but this does not mean that the feedback you will receive is actionable for you and of high value.
My approach is to read the official resources or study the primary material, wherever relevant. Anything derived therefrom (e.g. a community Wiki) will come later after I have a sense of what I am looking for. I approach the topic with an eye towards simplicity: the elaborate methods are likely surplus to my requirements.
Also, I recognise that there are marginal returns to any given endeavour. I do not need to become the best engineer in the world in order to build a house. I just need to be “good enough” and—voilà —I do what I set my mind to. Again, I resist going further deep if I do not have an excellent reason to do so.
I put ideas into action. I want to experience the consequences of my deeds: I proceed through trial and error, which is why I am slow and methodical by default. I get bored by endless chatter and its attendant indecision, which is also why I do not think highly of those who do thought experiments but have never practised anything of what they entertain. As such, those who make claims of any sort about their acumen I judge on the basis of their behaviour, not their stated beliefs.
I live by that standard. This is why I refrain from saying much and from making promises. If I state something, it is because I do it. I speak from a position of embededness: the knowledge I have is reflected in my life.
This brings me back to being careful about what I commit to learning. You mention locksport, for example. This is the first time I encounter the term. It may be something that I will like if I try in earnest. But right now I cannot think of a scenario that is relevant to my day-to-day affairs. So I am not going to search online what exactly you are describing, even though I am curious to learn more. I will not even try, not because I have anything against you or somehow pass negative judgement to this activity, but only due to the understanding that I have a zillion other things I could also be checking out, while I know that I have projects I am committed to which demand my continuous attention. My projects will thus take priority.
To be a skilful learner, then, I master the basic power of restraint.