• Think critically
• Nurture curiosity
• Save and prep taxes
• Sustain relationships
• Have difficult convos
• Navigate mental health
Yet they teach how to:
• Differentiate dinosaurs
• Memorize the periodic table
• Make paper snowflakes
School is an astonishing failure of modern society.
We're taught about dinosaurs before learning how to function as people.
Thread: Life lessons I wish school taught all of us.
• Think critically
• Nurture curiosity
• Save and prep taxes
• Sustain relationships
• Have difficult convos
• Navigate mental health
Yet they teach how to:
• Differentiate dinosaurs
• Memorize the periodic table
• Make paper snowflakes
1. Awareness: Those in power don't realize how bad it is.
2. Priorities: It's not a pressing issue. Voters care about the cost of education—not enough about WHAT is taught.
3. What to do: Shout to the politicians and educators in power.
These are the ones on my mind lately. This list could be 1,000 items long. Add yours to the thread.
Here we go.
Assuming bad intent.
One of the highest ROI things we can teach our children:
Start by assuming good intent: Train your reflex to ask questions before making assumptions.
Always lead with curiosity—never critique.
So, now I pretend my problems are those of others. It works.
I project my circumstances onto a friend and act out being coldly rational to get them from A to Z.
A rule of thumb: Move slowly when choosing what to focus on. But move very quickly once you've decided.
Move slow then fast.
Reserve 15 minutes per week to send appreciation emails to anyone you really enjoyed chatting with.
If you’re specific about why you appreciated the chat—instead of just saying "Great chatting!"—it resonates much deeper.
• Mirror talking speed
• Avoid gossip + negativity
• Know that a real smile includes the eyes
• Nail first impressions because they're so hard to reverse
• In convo, ask questions to help people think more deeply about what they're saying
• Instead of What's new?, I ask "What can't you get off your mind lately?"
• How's work? → What's the most exciting thing you could be doing?
I ask questions that get people to focus on their enthusiasm. No one gets offended.
• Find a boss who loves to mentor
• Join a cohort-based online class
• Find similar minds on Twitter and form a peer group
Mentorship + friendship turn advice into action.
Genuine experts realize the complexity/nuance of their craft, and they don’t feel comfortable claiming to be authorities.
1. Bias toward taking action. No lazy deferring.
2. Always looking to prove themselves wrong.
3. Regularly reassess their priorities without any fear of changing them.
Key: They balance progress with indulging curiosity.
Judge your years by how much you cashed in on that investment.
Being teachable = accepting when you’re wrong.
As adults, we suddenly forget we're still students. We must continue to seek discussion with people who'll tell us when we’re wrong.
Your teachers are now the strangers around you.
On the left are qualities they say can likely be improved with training.
On the right are red flags.
(I disagree with the ranking of "self-awareness.")
School is a glorified babysitting service for people who aren't yet self-sufficient.
Society critically needs this—but to an extent.
It's very dangerous when your babysitter squashes your curiosity, passion, and drive for nearly everything.
See past threads over here: @julian
More from Julian Shapiro
More from Education
I held back from commenting overnight to chew it over, but I am still saddened by comments during a presentation I attended yesterday by Prof @trishgreenhalgh & @CIHR_IMHA.
The topic was “LongCovid, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis & More”.
I quote from memory.
1/n
#MECFS #LongCovid
The bulk of Prof @Trishgreenhalgh’s presentation was on the importance of recognising LongCovid patient’s symptoms, and pathways for patients which recognised their condition as real. So far so good.
She was asked about “Post Exertional Malaise”... 2/n
PEM has been reported by many patients, and is the hallmark symptom of ME/CFS, leading many to query whether LongCovid and ME/CFS are similar or have overlapping mechanisms.
@Trishgreenhalgh acknowledged the new @NiceComms advice for LongCovid was planned to complement... 3/n
the ME/CFS guidelines, acknowledging some similarities.
Then it all went wrong.
@TrishGreenhalgh noted the changes to the @NiceComms guidance for ME/CFS, removing support for Graded Exercise Therapy / Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. She noted there is a big debate about this. 4/n
That is correct: The BMJ published Prof Lynne Turner Stokes’ column criticising the change (Prof Turner-Stokes is a key proponent of GET/CBT, and I suspect is known to Prof @TrishGreenhalgh).
https://t.co/0enH8TFPoe
However Prof Greenhalgh then went off-piste.
5/n
The topic was “LongCovid, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis & More”.
I quote from memory.
1/n
#MECFS #LongCovid
Have you registered for IMHA's next webinar on Long-COVID? Guest speaker Professor Trisha Greenhalgh.
— CIHR-IMHA Community (@CIHR_IMHA) January 12, 2021
When? Tomorrow: *Jan 13th.* 12pm ET
A few spots are left, but going fast!
Registration required: https://t.co/T4PbWNA35Y@KarimKhan_IMHA @CIHR_IRSC @trishgreenhalgh pic.twitter.com/xlWKi4QKF1
The bulk of Prof @Trishgreenhalgh’s presentation was on the importance of recognising LongCovid patient’s symptoms, and pathways for patients which recognised their condition as real. So far so good.
She was asked about “Post Exertional Malaise”... 2/n
PEM has been reported by many patients, and is the hallmark symptom of ME/CFS, leading many to query whether LongCovid and ME/CFS are similar or have overlapping mechanisms.
@Trishgreenhalgh acknowledged the new @NiceComms advice for LongCovid was planned to complement... 3/n
the ME/CFS guidelines, acknowledging some similarities.
Then it all went wrong.
@TrishGreenhalgh noted the changes to the @NiceComms guidance for ME/CFS, removing support for Graded Exercise Therapy / Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. She noted there is a big debate about this. 4/n
That is correct: The BMJ published Prof Lynne Turner Stokes’ column criticising the change (Prof Turner-Stokes is a key proponent of GET/CBT, and I suspect is known to Prof @TrishGreenhalgh).
https://t.co/0enH8TFPoe
However Prof Greenhalgh then went off-piste.
5/n
Working on a newsletter edition about deliberate practice.
Deliberate practice is crucial if you want to reach expert level in any skill, but what is it, and how can it help you learn more precisely?
A thread based on @augustbradley's conversation with the late Anders Ericsson.
You can find my complete notes from the conversation in my public Roam graph:
https://t.co/Z5bXHsg3oc
The entire conversation is on
The 10,000-hour 'rule' was based on Ericsson's research, but simple practice is not enough for mastery.
We need teachers and coaches to give us feedback on how we're doing to adjust our actions effectively. Technology can help us by providing short feedback loops.
There's purposeful and deliberate practice.
In purposeful practice, you gain breakthroughs by trying out different techniques you find on your own.
In deliberate practice, an expert tells you what to improve on and how to do it, and then you do that (while getting feedback).
It's possible to come to powerful techniques through purposeful practice, but it's always a gamble.
Deliberate practice is possible with a map of the domain and a recommended way to move through it. This makes success more likely.
Deliberate practice is crucial if you want to reach expert level in any skill, but what is it, and how can it help you learn more precisely?
A thread based on @augustbradley's conversation with the late Anders Ericsson.
You can find my complete notes from the conversation in my public Roam graph:
https://t.co/Z5bXHsg3oc
The entire conversation is on
The 10,000-hour 'rule' was based on Ericsson's research, but simple practice is not enough for mastery.
We need teachers and coaches to give us feedback on how we're doing to adjust our actions effectively. Technology can help us by providing short feedback loops.
There's purposeful and deliberate practice.
In purposeful practice, you gain breakthroughs by trying out different techniques you find on your own.
In deliberate practice, an expert tells you what to improve on and how to do it, and then you do that (while getting feedback).
It's possible to come to powerful techniques through purposeful practice, but it's always a gamble.
Deliberate practice is possible with a map of the domain and a recommended way to move through it. This makes success more likely.
OK I am going to be tackling this as surveillance/open source intel gathering exercise, because that is my background. I blew away 3 years of my life doing site acquisition/reconnaissance for a certain industry that shall remain unnamed and believe there is significant carryover.
This is NOT going to be zillow "here is how to google school districts and find walmart" we are not concerned with this malarkey, we are homeschooling and planting victory gardens and having gigantic happy families.
With that said, for my frog and frog-adjacent bros and sisters:
CHOICE SITES:
Zillow is obvious one, but there are many good sites like Billy Land, Classic Country Land, Landwatch, etc. and many of these specialize in owner financing (more on that later.) Do NOT treat these as authoritative sources - trust plat maps and parcel viewers.
TARGET IDENTIFICATION AND EVALUATION:
Okay, everyone knows how to google "raw land in x state" but there are other resources out there, including state Departments of Natural Resources, foreclosure auctions, etc. Finding the land you like is the easy part. Let's do a case study.
I'm going to target using an "off-grid but not" algorithm. This is a good piece in my book - middle of nowhere but still trekkable to civilization.
Note: visible power, power/fiber pedestal, utility corridor, nearby commercial enterprise(s), and utility pole shadows visible.
If I did thred on finding/acquiring decent raw land would that be something pepo are interested in
— Ovcharka (@ouroboros_outis) January 18, 2021
I think I know a bunch of weird tips/tricks for selection at this point that it might help u guys, lemme know
This is NOT going to be zillow "here is how to google school districts and find walmart" we are not concerned with this malarkey, we are homeschooling and planting victory gardens and having gigantic happy families.
With that said, for my frog and frog-adjacent bros and sisters:
CHOICE SITES:
Zillow is obvious one, but there are many good sites like Billy Land, Classic Country Land, Landwatch, etc. and many of these specialize in owner financing (more on that later.) Do NOT treat these as authoritative sources - trust plat maps and parcel viewers.
TARGET IDENTIFICATION AND EVALUATION:
Okay, everyone knows how to google "raw land in x state" but there are other resources out there, including state Departments of Natural Resources, foreclosure auctions, etc. Finding the land you like is the easy part. Let's do a case study.
I'm going to target using an "off-grid but not" algorithm. This is a good piece in my book - middle of nowhere but still trekkable to civilization.
Note: visible power, power/fiber pedestal, utility corridor, nearby commercial enterprise(s), and utility pole shadows visible.
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The Eye of Horus. 1/*
I believe that @ripple_crippler and @looP_rM311_7211 are the same person. I know, nobody believes that. 2/*
Today I want to prove that Mr Pool smile faces mean XRP and price increase. In Ripple_Crippler, previous to Mr Pool existence, smile faces were frequent. They were very similar to the ones Mr Pool posts. The eyes also were usually a couple of "x", in fact, XRP logo. 3/*
The smile XRP-eyed face also appears related to the Moon. XRP going to the Moon. 4/*
And smile XRP-eyed faces also appear related to Egypt. In particular, to the Eye of Horus. https://t.co/i4rRzuQ0gZ 5/*
I believe that @ripple_crippler and @looP_rM311_7211 are the same person. I know, nobody believes that. 2/*
Today I want to prove that Mr Pool smile faces mean XRP and price increase. In Ripple_Crippler, previous to Mr Pool existence, smile faces were frequent. They were very similar to the ones Mr Pool posts. The eyes also were usually a couple of "x", in fact, XRP logo. 3/*
The smile XRP-eyed face also appears related to the Moon. XRP going to the Moon. 4/*
And smile XRP-eyed faces also appear related to Egypt. In particular, to the Eye of Horus. https://t.co/i4rRzuQ0gZ 5/*
Krugman is, of course, right about this. BUT, note that universities can do a lot to revitalize declining and rural regions.
See this thing that @lymanstoneky wrote:
And see this thing that I wrote:
And see this book that @JamesFallows wrote:
And see this other thing that I wrote:
One thing I've been noticing about responses to today's column is that many people still don't get how strong the forces behind regional divergence are, and how hard to reverse 1/ https://t.co/Ft2aH1NcQt
— Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) November 20, 2018
See this thing that @lymanstoneky wrote:
And see this thing that I wrote:
And see this book that @JamesFallows wrote:
And see this other thing that I wrote:
