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Paying Attention

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Summary

This article explores the importance of paying attention and discerning what information to take in and store in one's brain. It advises to have a wide funnel and tight filter when reading, to focus on permanent knowledge rather than expiring knowledge, to remember stories and lines instead of whole books, and to pay close attention when someone you admire disagrees with you on a topic.

Q&As

What did Sherlock Holmes say about the brain?
Sherlock Holmes said that a man's brain is like an empty attic and it is up to the individual to stock it with the furniture they choose.

What advice did Francis Crick give when asked what it takes to win the Nobel Prize?
Francis Crick said that his secret was knowing what to ignore.

What is the best reading strategy for deciding what to pay attention to?
The best reading strategy for deciding what to pay attention to is the idea of a wide funnel and tight filter.

What are the two types of knowledge?
The two types of knowledge are expiring knowledge and permanent knowledge.

What advice does the author give for opening one's mind to viewpoints they disagree with?
The author advises to find people whose views on one topic you respect and listen to them about topics you disagree on. When those two things align, pay close attention.

AI Comments

👍 This article does a great job of highlighting the importance of understanding which information is important and which can be ignored. The author provides helpful strategies on how to decide what to pay attention to and how to determine what knowledge is permanent and what is expiring.

👎 This article does not provide any specific examples of the type of permanent knowledge that should be focused on or any real-world examples of how to implement the strategies mentioned.

AI Discussion

Me: It's about the importance of paying attention. It talks about how a person's brain is like an empty attic and how they need to be selective about what they put into their brain. It also talks about how people should pay attention to those who disagree with them and to focus on permanent knowledge instead of expiring knowledge.

Friend: Interesting. That's definitely something that I need to think about. It seems like it's so easy to get caught up in the moment and to focus on expiring knowledge instead of permanent knowledge. I need to pay more attention to the permanent knowledge that I'm taking in, instead of getting caught up in the moment.

Me: Absolutely. That's a great point. This article also talks about how people should pay attention to those who disagree with them, which is something I think a lot of people struggle with. They often get caught up in their own opinions and don't listen to the perspectives of others. It's important to take in all perspectives in order to form a well-rounded opinion.

Action items

Make a list of topics you are passionate about and find people who disagree with you on those topics. Pay close attention to what they have to say.
When reading, ask yourself if you will still care about the information in a year, five years, or ten years. Focus on permanent knowledge rather than expiring knowledge.
Memorize stories, highlight facts, and skip the fluff. Focus on the few memorable lines and stories that you can take away from a book.

Technical terms

Attic: A space, usually located in the upper part of a house, used for storage.
Double Helix Structure of DNA: The double helix structure of DNA is a spiral-shaped structure made up of two strands of nucleotides that are connected by hydrogen bonds.
Nobel Prize: An annual award given to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to science, literature, peace, and other fields.
Wide Funnel and Tight Filter: A strategy for reading where one is willing to read anything that looks interesting, but quickly abandon it if it is not useful.
Expiring Knowledge: Knowledge that is temporary and has an expiration date.
Permanent Knowledge: Knowledge that is long-lasting and does not have an expiration date.
Charles Darwin: A British naturalist and geologist who is best known for his theory of evolution.
Charlie Munger: An American investor, businessman, and philanthropist who is best known for his partnership with Warren Buffett.