Mental Tools

Reading and Respectability

This entry is part 2 of 10 in the series Social Resistance

This entry is part 2 of 10 in the series Social ResistanceIf you have to limit your reading to what is considered respectable, you might as well physically remove your brain and personally hand it to whoever’s making those respectability rules. Because that’s kind of what you’re doing already. And while you’re at it, have…

The Three Laws of Language-Learning | Version 1.0

The Prime Directive: Have fun. Suck less every day; never suck more today than you did yesterday; always decrease suckage, and do so in a way that does not conflict with Law #1. Little and often. Start more times than you stop. Start more often than you stop. If you take nothing else from this…

Don’t Be A Hero

This entry is part 5 of 10 in the series Social Resistance

This entry is part 5 of 10 in the series Social Resistance “Internet arguments are like the Special Olympics. Even if you win, you’re still a retard.” ~ Source Unknown…to me. “A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still.” ~ Dale Carnegie? Prolly…not sure…can’t be bothered to check. “Don’t argue with…

Zero-Certainty

I’ll just tell you straight out right now. I am completely out of my depth on this subject. What I mean is, some of what I’m about to say probably runs into…I dunno…philosophy or epistemology or something or other that’s been discussed and analyzed ad taedium by people much more knowledgeable than I. As excited…

Language Is Friendship and Familiarity

A language is a person. Of course, it’s not a real person. You can’t see or touch Japanese. But she exists. She exists just like Harry Potter exists. You don’t learn a language, you get used to it. When someone is used to something, what do we call them? We call them an “expert”, we…