Nine Dumb Things I Learned In School

GURPS

INGSOC
PREMO Member
2. “You can be anything you set your mind to.”

You just can’t. Most people have the potential to do only a few things well, at most. That potential is talent. You’re born with it.

Many people, but probably not most, can actually do one or two things really well. That’s skill, and it’s talent plus experience. It’s when ability meets time and repetition.

Developing nothing into a skill takes naiveté. It doesn’t happen. I learned that the hard way in college when I spent well over a hundred hours (real-life hours, not credit hours) pursuing a geology major, and bashing my head against igneous rocks in frustration, before my mineralogy professor told me a very mean thing: maybe it’s not for you.

I was actually sort of taken aback. That’s how deep the “You can be anything you set your mind to” rubbish was lodged in my head. I later realized that the guy did me a big favor. He saved me time and energy by telling me nicely to get out.

That’s the world I want to live in. One where adults don’t lie to kids and tell them they can be great at things they’re not even average at.




‘There’s No Such Thing As A Stupid Question’, And Nine Other Dumb Things I Learned In School
 

vraiblonde

Board Mommy
PREMO Member
Patron
3. “I don’t care who started it.”

Tell that to Poland in 1939.

Who started it is often the only thing.

Who started it? The bully who turns the peaceful status quo into war. The brat who hits a kid at the playground and then cries to teacher when that kid hits back.

By all means, children who are bullied: hit back. Don’t run to teacher. Don’t try to appease. Hit back. Twice as hard. It’s the only language bullies understand.

“I don’t care who started it” are the words of unwitting accomplices. It’s a childish, amoral phrase that bullies love to hear come out of the mouths of adults.

:yay:
 

vraiblonde

Board Mommy
PREMO Member
Patron
7. “It’s who you are on the inside that counts.”

It’s really not.

What counts — if “counts” is a synonym for “is important” — are actions and words. What counts is what’s on the outside, how you treat others, whether you behave with honor and integrity.

:yay:
 

This_person

Well-Known Member
2. “You can be anything you set your mind to.”

You just can’t. Most people have the potential to do only a few things well, at most. That potential is talent. You’re born with it.

Many people, but probably not most, can actually do one or two things really well. That’s skill, and it’s talent plus experience. It’s when ability meets time and repetition.

Developing nothing into a skill takes naiveté. It doesn’t happen. I learned that the hard way in college when I spent well over a hundred hours (real-life hours, not credit hours) pursuing a geology major, and bashing my head against igneous rocks in frustration, before my mineralogy professor told me a very mean thing: maybe it’s not for you.

I was actually sort of taken aback. That’s how deep the “You can be anything you set your mind to” rubbish was lodged in my head. I later realized that the guy did me a big favor. He saved me time and energy by telling me nicely to get out.

That’s the world I want to live in. One where adults don’t lie to kids and tell them they can be great at things they’re not even average at.




‘There’s No Such Thing As A Stupid Question’, And Nine Other Dumb Things I Learned In School

Really, though, you can. I play guitar. I don't play it well, and not another person on earth wants to hear me play. but, I play guitar. By definition, I am a guitar player, because I want to be. Just because I don't do it well or get paid for it does not mean I am not a guitar player.

Can every person be a brain surgeon? Can a blind man be a quality-control inspector at a manufacturing plant? No, probably not to both of those. But, that doesn't mean to stop trying to accomplish a goal. He spent a whole whopping 100 hours? Wow. What did he do the next week?

Here are some thoughts on the validity of talent:

Talent - 1.jpg

Talent - 2.png
 

GURPS

INGSOC
PREMO Member
9. “It’s who you know.”

This career advice entered my field of hearing in high school or college. It struck me then as obviously true — professional advancement definitely is impacted by the people who you know and, more importantly, who know you. But it’s also simplistic, imprecise, and inaccurately categorical.

It is not just who you know. You need to have ability and competence. And you need to be reliable. Otherwise the people who you know won’t do much for you.

It’s also not the “knowing” that matters. It’s the actual relationships. The pursuit of “knowing” people, of building the Rolodex, produces business card swapping, a useless activity unless you follow up, make phone calls, get coffee, talk regularly; you know, develop relationships.

It’s not about who you know. It’s about who knows you, and likes you.


I always took 'who you know' to mean relationships .... not just some dude you swapped business cards with

... 90% of the JOBS I have had are because 'I knew a guy' who needed something .... not cold calling
 

This_person

Well-Known Member

Not sure I agree with that one, either.

Yes, if a bully sixth grader is smacking down a little second grader, I care who started it. I want to punish the sixth grader.

But, it would be just as wise to tell your two grown children, "I don't care who started it" when they are fighting and they are both wrong. There comes a point in a conflict, sooner or later, when both sides are wrong. Someone starts believing the ends justify the means, and they do the wrong thing. And, the other one responds in kind.

This is when it doesn't matter who started it - when both sides are wrong and that is clearly obvious.
 

GURPS

INGSOC
PREMO Member
“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan Press On! has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.”

― Calvin Coolidge
 

This_person

Well-Known Member
“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan Press On! has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.”

― Calvin Coolidge

Yeah, what he said :lmao:
 

Monello

Smarter than the average bear
PREMO Member
Really, though, you can. I play guitar. I don't play it well, and not another person on earth wants to hear me play. but, I play guitar. By definition, I am a guitar player, because I want to be. Just because I don't do it well or get paid for it does not mean I am not a guitar player.

Can every person be a brain surgeon? Can a blind man be a quality-control inspector at a manufacturing plant? No, probably not to both of those. But, that doesn't mean to stop trying to accomplish a goal. He spent a whole whopping 100 hours? Wow. What did he do the next week?

Here are some thoughts on the validity of talent:

I'm with you as far as the you can be whatever you set your mind too. I read Tim Tebow's autobiography. Obsessed comes to mind. If you don't mind giving up other things in life, which is a personal choice. People like Tiger Woods or the Williams sisters. Honing their skills for hours at an early age. That's dedication.

Surely a dwarf can't play in the NBA. But other than a few examples, there's no reason why people can't believe and achieve. Provided they set realistic goals and have a path to achieve those goals.
 
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