We live in the age of binge-reading.
People listen to podcasts, articles, and audiobooks at 3x speed.
But this speed consumption strategy is based on a flawed model of learning.
Turns out, there's a more effective way to learn.
🧵
People listen to podcasts, articles, and audiobooks at 3x speed.
But this speed consumption strategy is based on a flawed model of learning.
Turns out, there's a more effective way to learn.
🧵
Binge consumers follow a "Water in a Cup" theory of learning.
They assume that knowledge is like a liquid they can pour into their minds.
It's simple: The more information they consume, the more they'll learn, right?
They assume that knowledge is like a liquid they can pour into their minds.
It's simple: The more information they consume, the more they'll learn, right?
Not necessarily.
In school information is shared through lectures, which focus on well-packaged ideas that are easy to memorize.
But thinking you know something because you can memorize a teacher's words is like calling yourself a chef because you can follow Blue Apron recipes.
In school information is shared through lectures, which focus on well-packaged ideas that are easy to memorize.
But thinking you know something because you can memorize a teacher's words is like calling yourself a chef because you can follow Blue Apron recipes.
The average classroom is set up for passive listening. It’s geared towards consuming knowledge, not integrating it.
Desks are lined up in punitive rows that are designed to limit interaction between students. Subliminally, they say: “Shut up and listen to your teacher.”
Desks are lined up in punitive rows that are designed to limit interaction between students. Subliminally, they say: “Shut up and listen to your teacher.”
But if "Water in a Cup" learning isn't optimal, why does the education system revolve around it?
Because the water in a cup method is easy to deliver and scale.
Schools assume that learning is inevitable if students read enough books and spend enough time in the classroom.
Because the water in a cup method is easy to deliver and scale.
Schools assume that learning is inevitable if students read enough books and spend enough time in the classroom.
Systems are easy to scale when they use this reductive, cookie-cutter mindset.
But knowing the name of something without also understanding the context behind it isn’t knowledge.
It’s trivia — and trivia is an ignorant person’s idea of what knowledge looks like.
But knowing the name of something without also understanding the context behind it isn’t knowledge.
It’s trivia — and trivia is an ignorant person’s idea of what knowledge looks like.
How should you learn instead?
Focus less on consuming as much information as possible and more on cultivating the deepest possible understanding of the ideas that resonate with you most.
Writing is the simplest way to do that because it forces deep understanding.
Focus less on consuming as much information as possible and more on cultivating the deepest possible understanding of the ideas that resonate with you most.
Writing is the simplest way to do that because it forces deep understanding.
Writing is spaced repetition for the mind.
The research on spaced repetition implies that listening to audiobooks at 3x speed is an ineffective way to learn.
In fact, anxiety-inspired binge consuming is the opposite of what you should do.
The research on spaced repetition implies that listening to audiobooks at 3x speed is an ineffective way to learn.
In fact, anxiety-inspired binge consuming is the opposite of what you should do.
Spaced repetition yields exponential benefits for increased effort.
Your ability to remember something improves every time you review it, and the more you do it, the less time it takes.
Thus, racing through new ideas at 3x speed is the opposite of how you should learn.
Your ability to remember something improves every time you review it, and the more you do it, the less time it takes.
Thus, racing through new ideas at 3x speed is the opposite of how you should learn.
Basically, humans have two kinds of memory: short-term and long-term.
When you read books at 3x speed, you make it hard for your mind to transfer knowledge to long-term memory, which is more stable and lasting than short-term memory.
When you read books at 3x speed, you make it hard for your mind to transfer knowledge to long-term memory, which is more stable and lasting than short-term memory.
When you write, you have to put ideas into your own words which helps you understand them.
Rather than memorizing disparate ideas, writing helps you synthesize them into a coherent whole.
And the process of brainstorming, typing, and editing our words is like spaced repetition.
Rather than memorizing disparate ideas, writing helps you synthesize them into a coherent whole.
And the process of brainstorming, typing, and editing our words is like spaced repetition.
Like studying a language, learning also happens faster when you get out into the real world.
You can pick up trivial knowledge by banging your head against a classroom wall for 10 years. Or, you can immerse yourself in a foreign country for a year and walk away fluent.
You can pick up trivial knowledge by banging your head against a classroom wall for 10 years. Or, you can immerse yourself in a foreign country for a year and walk away fluent.
The lesson: We're humans, not computers.
We need time to digest what we read and transfer knowledge from short-term to long-term memory.
Instead of binge-consuming audiobooks, we spend more time integrating our knowledge by writing and taking action.
perell.com/essay/against-…
We need time to digest what we read and transfer knowledge from short-term to long-term memory.
Instead of binge-consuming audiobooks, we spend more time integrating our knowledge by writing and taking action.
perell.com/essay/against-…
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