I remember the first and only time I got a D in a class. I was studying abroad in France, taking a French class to help me and the other foreign students adapt. The classes were divided into twelve levels. Level one was for extreme beginners, who had no knowledge of French. Level twelve consisted […]
Fake Wisdom
When I first started writing, I used to get “false agreement”. This is when a comment claims to agree with everything you’re saying, but reveals that they actually believe the opposite in the substance of their message. I used to blame this on reader illiteracy, but it was likely my failing as a writer. But […]
Wanting the Right Things
You tend to become the things you believe are important. This idea alone defines much of the different trajectories people take. Luck, talent and habits constrain the path, but they matter less than which direction you decide to take. If your finances are in order, that’s probably because being responsible with money is important to […]
Nonconformers Need Better Social Skills
A few readers have emailed me, following my own self-education, whether they should drop out of college and learn on their own. If you’re smart, you can probably learn better on your own, so it’s not an unreasonable question. Unfortunately, it’s a really hard question to answer. If you plan on becoming a surgeon, licensed […]