The curse of knowledge

When you know too much...

March 07, 2022

Hey there —

Looking to spice up your day? Try asking a crypto expert to explain “Web 3.0”.

Most will flounder. They’ll likely throw in buzzwords you’ve never heard of before – like “blockchain” and “non-fungible tokens,” and you’ll be even more confused than when you started.

And for that, we can thank the curse of knowledge.

The curse of knowledge is a cognitive bias where the more familiar we are with an idea, the worse we become at explaining it to others because we forget what it’s like to not know it.

But this bias doesn’t just befuddle the crypto bros. It impacts all of us. The curse of knowledge is why…

💔 You judge your past decisions (i.e. staying with an ex) even though you didn’t have all the info you have now.

👥 You can’t empathize with others because you forget what it’s like to be new to a subject.

😶 Creators hesitate to make educational content because they assume what’s obvious to them is obvious to everyone.

We can’t assume that people know what we know (or expect them to relate to us). So, how can we break the curse of knowledge?

One way is with The Feynman Technique.

Named after the brilliant physicist and legendary “explainer of complicated things” Richard Feynman, this powerful de-biasing technique has four key steps:

  1. Choose a topic you want to learn about (or already know).

  2. Explain it as if you were talking to a 12-year-old (no jargon!).

  3. Identify gaps in your explanation.

  4. Review and refine.

This isn’t just how you become an expert communicator. This technique ensures you thoroughly understand something in the first place. As explained by Farnam Street:

“Anyone can make a subject complicated but only someone who understands it can make it simple.”

Breaking down a complex subject into bite-sized pieces puts you in the shoes of someone who doesn’t know what you do. Not only does it make you more empathetic and relatable – but it turns your knowledge into a superpower (and not a curse).

On Solitude

Article | by Erik Torenberg

Solitude is hard to come by. Sure, we may spend time alone – but our cell phones are always within arm's reach.

But as it turns out, device-free solitude might be exactly what your brain needs.

For the past 15 years, Erik Torenberg has conducted monthly “solos.” Basically doing nothing by yourself for a few hours. Erik swears by the practice, crediting it for his creativity, appreciation for life, and happiness.

Not sure if you can clear your schedule? Take Erik’s advice:

“Although it can seem daunting to “waste” a day—the time you save in having less fights, less stress, and less bullshit is priceless.”

How to Write Better Stories in 4 Easy Steps

Article | by Lyle McKeany

Lyle McKeany is the author of ‘Just Enough to Get Me in Trouble,’ a popular Substack with loads of subscribers.

And everyone wants to know: How does he capture the attention of so many eyeballs?

In this article, Lyle generously bestows his best writing advice. This read is a reminder of the power of infusing real-life experiences into your writing.

The proof is in the pudding – you’ll probably get emotional when you read step number three.

Astronomy Picture of the Day

Tool | by Robert Nemiroff and Jerry Bonnell

Behold the cosmos!

This nifty little website features a new picture each day from our galaxy. You’ll never know what you might find – flaming comets, forgotten constellations, or even meteor showers.

To make it even better, each pic is accompanied by a brief description from a professional astronomer so you can make sense of what the heck you’re seeing.

Written by Alice Lemée