Comments on: What Matters http://www.ryanholiday.net/what-matters/ Meditations on strategy and life Mon, 06 Feb 2012 20:25:46 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Marketing Blogs: What Can We Learn From Them? « #SMCHAT http://www.ryanholiday.net/what-matters/#comment-15173 Marketing Blogs: What Can We Learn From Them? « #SMCHAT Wed, 16 Nov 2011 19:28:16 +0000 http://dev.ryanholiday.net/what-matters/#comment-15173 [...] But that doesn’t mean better content won’t go a longer way. We can’t just spew the first thing that comes from our mouths and expect to contribute anything meaningful. Unless it’s done thoughtfully, we’ll only end up talking in circles. [...] [...] But that doesn’t mean better content won’t go a longer way. We can’t just spew the first thing that comes from our mouths and expect to contribute anything meaningful. Unless it’s done thoughtfully, we’ll only end up talking in circles. [...]

]]> By: Hal http://www.ryanholiday.net/what-matters/#comment-11594 Hal Fri, 04 Sep 2009 15:17:53 +0000 http://dev.ryanholiday.net/what-matters/#comment-11594 Sometimes it matters to have a frame of reference with dates and names - sometimes it doesn't. Obviously, the primary concept of a book is paramount. I can't imagine having an understanding of history without a vague idea of time-line for all history. I don't memorize dates, but I do need to relate what was going on about the same time in various parts of the world. I do understand what you're saying. I just think it is a little over the top to discard all but the idea of any given discipline. Sometimes it matters to have a frame of reference with dates and names – sometimes it doesn’t. Obviously, the primary concept of a book is paramount. I can’t imagine having an understanding of history without a vague idea of time-line for all history. I don’t memorize dates, but I do need to relate what was going on about the same time in various parts of the world.

I do understand what you’re saying. I just think it is a little over the top to discard all but the idea of any given discipline.

]]> By: joe http://www.ryanholiday.net/what-matters/#comment-11593 joe Wed, 02 Sep 2009 02:00:34 +0000 http://dev.ryanholiday.net/what-matters/#comment-11593 "You're saying that, even though you're standing on the shoulders of giants, you have no desire to know the giant's name or see his face? I don't get it." He was simply saying that as long as you understand the ideas and the themes and the content, then remembering the names of the stuff that doesn't matter isn't important, and is a waste of time. So if the names and faces of the giants don't matter, then yes, he doesn't want to know them. If for some reason in your crazy analogy a person needs to know the names or see the faces, then they are, for some reason, important and not what Ryan was talking about. “You’re saying that, even though you’re standing on the shoulders of giants, you have no desire to know the giant’s name or see his face? I don’t get it.”

He was simply saying that as long as you understand the ideas and the themes and the content, then remembering the names of the stuff that doesn’t matter isn’t important, and is a waste of time.

So if the names and faces of the giants don’t matter, then yes, he doesn’t want to know them. If for some reason in your crazy analogy a person needs to know the names or see the faces, then they are, for some reason, important and not what Ryan was talking about.

]]> By: Joornaal http://www.ryanholiday.net/what-matters/#comment-11592 Joornaal Mon, 31 Aug 2009 02:06:29 +0000 http://dev.ryanholiday.net/what-matters/#comment-11592 "The rest is filler and masturbation. Or worse, it's a ruse." I could not agree more with Ryan on this. I do believe what matters is the idea and not the names and places. I only write down the name of the author if I feel I need to find more about his other writings. “The rest is filler and masturbation. Or worse, it’s a ruse.” I could not agree more with Ryan on this. I do believe what matters is the idea and not the names and places. I only write down the name of the author if I feel I need to find more about his other writings.

]]> By: Matt http://www.ryanholiday.net/what-matters/#comment-11591 Matt Sun, 30 Aug 2009 20:57:43 +0000 http://dev.ryanholiday.net/what-matters/#comment-11591 Ryan and Frank, Thanks for articulating my own ongoing internal dialogue with more subtlety and nuance than I have ever been able to. It is much appreciated, and also helps me be a little more gentle with myself for not 'resolving' this paradox. I hope you find each others' words as useful and reassuring as I have. Ryan and Frank,

Thanks for articulating my own ongoing internal dialogue with more subtlety and nuance than I have ever been able to. It is much appreciated, and also helps me be a little more gentle with myself for not ‘resolving’ this paradox. I hope you find each others’ words as useful and reassuring as I have.

]]> By: Adam http://www.ryanholiday.net/what-matters/#comment-11590 Adam Sun, 30 Aug 2009 15:02:22 +0000 http://dev.ryanholiday.net/what-matters/#comment-11590 how could schools measure what matters? how could schools measure what matters?

]]> By: AEthelraed http://www.ryanholiday.net/what-matters/#comment-11589 AEthelraed Sun, 30 Aug 2009 10:20:52 +0000 http://dev.ryanholiday.net/what-matters/#comment-11589 This post illustrates why I genuinely hate reading fantasy; when I tried The Fellowship, there were so many names, dates and flashback information that I couldn't tell past from present from future. Hogwash! Let's give books the fine hair cut they need for a more appealing Do. This post illustrates why I genuinely hate reading fantasy; when I tried The Fellowship, there were so many names, dates and flashback information that I couldn’t tell past from present from future. Hogwash! Let’s give books the fine hair cut they need for a more appealing Do.

]]> By: Frank http://www.ryanholiday.net/what-matters/#comment-11588 Frank Sun, 30 Aug 2009 03:58:55 +0000 http://dev.ryanholiday.net/what-matters/#comment-11588 You know what this will get you? A fragmented mind. The ideas you absorb may very well shape your paradigm and become part of who you are, but knowing the source of those ideas is knowing yourself. You're limiting yourself by removing the context from your internalized observations. You'll be a person with no knowledge of how you came to be. You're saying that, even though you're standing on the shoulders of giants, you have no desire to know the giant's name or see his face? I don't get it. You know what this will get you? A fragmented mind. The ideas you absorb may very well shape your paradigm and become part of who you are, but knowing the source of those ideas is knowing yourself. You’re limiting yourself by removing the context from your internalized observations. You’ll be a person with no knowledge of how you came to be.

You’re saying that, even though you’re standing on the shoulders of giants, you have no desire to know the giant’s name or see his face? I don’t get it.

]]> By: Relja http://www.ryanholiday.net/what-matters/#comment-11587 Relja Sun, 30 Aug 2009 01:28:29 +0000 http://dev.ryanholiday.net/what-matters/#comment-11587 Hi Ryan, I pretty much agree with everything in your post, just wish to emphasize one thing: a context and a story are necessary when the idea is a bit too complex or seems too 'obvious' or it's not clear what it's pointing towards when plainly stated - the whole Curse of knowledge thing, and the necessity of a story to carry the idea like a scaffolding and then disappear from memory once we grasp the essence - like your intro-example of Law and Order. On the other hand, as you say, the danger (and the problem with most of today's educational systems) is in thinking that the scaffolding is what's important. I guess some gravitate to it because it's measurable? It's easier to memorize such things than actually connect the dots behind them? I guess that it's also scary for some to grasp the ideas, because the ideas point you towards proper action in the real world (which entails uncertainty and risk and demands that you learn a lot more "vague" stuff - it exposes you much more vividly to your anti-library), while just sitting there and knowing facts is "safe". Hi Ryan,

I pretty much agree with everything in your post, just wish to emphasize one thing: a context and a story are necessary when the idea is a bit too complex or seems too ‘obvious’ or it’s not clear what it’s pointing towards when plainly stated – the whole Curse of knowledge thing, and the necessity of a story to carry the idea like a scaffolding and then disappear from memory once we grasp the essence – like your intro-example of Law and Order.

On the other hand, as you say, the danger (and the problem with most of today’s educational systems) is in thinking that the scaffolding is what’s important. I guess some gravitate to it because it’s measurable? It’s easier to memorize such things than actually connect the dots behind them? I guess that it’s also scary for some to grasp the ideas, because the ideas point you towards proper action in the real world (which entails uncertainty and risk and demands that you learn a lot more “vague” stuff – it exposes you much more vividly to your anti-library), while just sitting there and knowing facts is “safe”.

]]> By: Joseph http://www.ryanholiday.net/what-matters/#comment-11586 Joseph Sat, 29 Aug 2009 18:24:21 +0000 http://dev.ryanholiday.net/what-matters/#comment-11586 Are you against masturbation? Are you against masturbation?

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