The distinction worth adding to this: the tools are not only an accelerator but primarily an amplifier. An accelerator gets you there faster. An amplifier depends entirely on what you're putting in. For the curious mind — the one that knows which question to ask next, which result to distrust, which connection hasn't been named yet — the return is disproportionate. The tool doesn't generate that. It multiplies it. Which also means it multiplies the absence of it, for the mind that was never really hungry to begin with.
Carlo, thank you for this piece. I recognized much of the content. In the corporate world, the most frequent piece of advice I received was "Don't stick your nose where it doesn't belong." When I was in education, the advice was a bit more polished, but the point was the same: "Stop teaching religions in your world history course because we have a religion department." I heard similar cautions from the economics, government, and science teachers. "So we can't talk about people's lives in class?" "No, why don't you just focus on historical events and ideas?" "Can I teach the kids to write better?" "No. You may give them writing assignments, but writing is the responsibility of the English Department." "Even science lab reports?" "Don't push me!"
The distinction worth adding to this: the tools are not only an accelerator but primarily an amplifier. An accelerator gets you there faster. An amplifier depends entirely on what you're putting in. For the curious mind — the one that knows which question to ask next, which result to distrust, which connection hasn't been named yet — the return is disproportionate. The tool doesn't generate that. It multiplies it. Which also means it multiplies the absence of it, for the mind that was never really hungry to begin with.
I get this SOOO much
Carlo, thank you for this piece. I recognized much of the content. In the corporate world, the most frequent piece of advice I received was "Don't stick your nose where it doesn't belong." When I was in education, the advice was a bit more polished, but the point was the same: "Stop teaching religions in your world history course because we have a religion department." I heard similar cautions from the economics, government, and science teachers. "So we can't talk about people's lives in class?" "No, why don't you just focus on historical events and ideas?" "Can I teach the kids to write better?" "No. You may give them writing assignments, but writing is the responsibility of the English Department." "Even science lab reports?" "Don't push me!"
What are you doing in my brain?
This one hit. The hunger was always the engine. Outstanding piece, Carlo.
🙏