Like any good tool, if it isn’t used, it’s useless. On the flip side, talking over various methods and outcomes can mean the difference between hammering a nail with, say, a hammer versus a socket wrench or, in the spirit of the words of the Khatzu himself, it can mean the difference between learning language by spending a few hours a week in boring classes or by having fun reading manga/listening to music.

A certain amount of discussion is helpful in determining which is a more appropriate method to pursue, but in the context of the time spent actually doing something would constitute a negligibly small percentage of the total.

I think the important difference is to realize that the tool is useless if it isn’t used. So if we’re talking about hammering with a hammer versus a socket wrench, if we never actually spend time driving the nail, we might as well be using shoestrings or spaghetti. That doesn’t change the fact that the hammer is the most appropriate.

Perhaps what Khatzu is saying is that, if we learn about the hammer while using the socket wrench, we can “change horses midstream”, but at no point should we not be actively hammering.

To that extent, I would agree and concede that the point of my post is moot. : )

And there it is. Great article and great advice.