How to Learn Nothing

To become learned, ask how to learn nothing.

Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijn. Two old men disputing (1628)

The question “How do I become learned?” has too many answers. The options multiply the longer you look. Invert the question: “How do I learn nothing?” Suddenly, the wasteful paths are obvious and the good investments few.

How to Learn Nothing

Favour what costs little to produce:

1. Short-form content

2. Most newsletters

3. Most podcasts

4. Most news

5. Material taught by people outside their circle of competence

6. AI-generated content

Seek sources that aren’t trying to be right:

1. Financially compromised sources

2. Advertising

3. Sources that never explain the arguments supporting their conclusions—often covertly belonging to #1 or #2

Focus on the part, not the whole.

Value verbosity, obscurantism, and nonsensical perspectives. Mistake obtuseness for depth.

Read without intent. Don’t discriminate between what’s true and what’s false; glide over words and ignore their implications.

Read everything and value all ideas equally.

When you find an excellent source—a great mind, with deep expertise, nothing to sell you, and a record of being right—look elsewhere for answers.

Confuse yourself trying to refute bad ideas before ever absorbing the great ones.

Converse with people who do the above.

Value originality above truth.

Invert: How to Become Learned

Read excellent sources: great minds, with deep expertise, nothing to sell you, and a record of being right.

Trust that truth gives no preference to complexity.

Follow an opinion to its logical conclusion even when the conclusion is uncomfortable.

Check your judgments against current information—use the present as data, not as content.

Absorb great ideas first, refute bad ones second.

Converse with people who do the above.

Value truth above originality.