Jon Simpson

The Karate Kid ruined the modern world

10 Mar 2010

We have a vague idea in our head of the “price” of certain accomplishments, how difficult it should be to get a degree, or succeed at their job, or stay in shape, or raise a kid, or build a house. And that vague idea is almost always catastrophically wrong.

Accomplishing worthwhile things isn’t just a little harder than people think; it’s ten or twenty times harder.

Nice essay on ‘effort shock’, from the Editor of cracked.com. It’s very true - the idea that it can take 10+ years to become an ‘expert’ at something doesn’t really fit with the ‘training montage’ images we’re surrounded with of instant progress. The (perhaps dated) trend in programming books titled “X in 24 hours/21 days” is another symptom of this condition.


 Home