Weeknote for 3/17/2024

Learning

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Scott Young’s Ultralearning (TED talk) is setting the agenda for my learning project. The book is about how to learn a lot about a subject in a relatively short time, perfect for the kind of learning projects I want to do. And I can start with this project on memory.

Things I gained from the book on a first listen:

a simple way to map out the territory of the subject I’m learning so I can set my scope and priorities
permission to experiment and course correct
a push to interact with experts
a push to find applied ways to learn rather than defaulting to more abstract methods like flashcards
permission to use the abstract methods too
direction on the kinds of environments to create for mental focus during different kinds of learning
permission to use mnemonic techniques where they’re useful
the notion that learning a technical subject like computer science in a compressed period is possible
the notion that ultralearning projects will continually increase both my learning abilities and my confidence in them.

I listed a bunch of use cases and benefits of memory techniques. These days it’s easy to question why you’d want to spend any effort storing information in your mind when you can store it in a computer and find it with a search engine. But there are plenty of times when your mind is a better choice, such as when your hands and voice aren’t free to conduct a search or you need to fluid access the information. It pays to at least know the shape of the subject you’re dealing with, because you need to know when there’s something to look up. Plus, having information in your mind lets you more easily understand and remember new information that’s related to it. It also lets you notice more about the world around you. This is partly because more of the world has become familiar to you. But I imagine these memory techniques can help noticing in another way, simply by creating a habit of paying attention.

Movies

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Saturday I went with Jeremy to see Dune: Part Two. It’s the first movie I’ve watched in the theater since the last Dune. As with the first part, I was struck by the kinship I felt with the movie’s aesthetic. I especially loved the Gigeresque look of the Harkonen world. Again Jeremy’s comments on the series made me more motivated to revisit the books. I listened to the George Guidall recording of the first book eons ago, so I’ve forgotten most of it, and I never made it to the other books.