One such example can be found here: http://www.mobhunter.com/moorgard/-376381988.html

I thought you comments came accross as honest and true. Which is about the only way comments should be seen.

Best

Paul Barnett

There are definitely some people who have an inherent knack for it and others that don’t, but I think both types of people can benefit from working on their skill in a structured environment.

The thing that school helps you with (which you usually don’t realize until many years later) is that it gives you the tools you need to build your own path. A would-be artist may find it a drag to paint watercolors of bowls of fruit, but there is a benefit from learning the basics before trying to change the world with your own style. Look at Picasso as someone who mastered conventional forms before taking art in a whole new direction.

When I began attending college, I fancied myself a good poet. I took a poetry class and mostly hated it because I felt the professor was trying to force too much of his own perspective and style onto us. Looking back, I find that class extremely valuable because it taught me a lot of bits and pieces that I still use today.

(And no, I haven’t written any poetry for some time, so don’t bother asking.)

School’s greatest value is that it structures your mind to reason effectively and provides you with a toolbox of possibilities to apply in everyday life. Though value of the lessons is not always immediately apparent, down the road it becomes very evident.

You are right about learning, it’s important to keep doing that. But, the problem with critical thinking is that it’s not something you develop overnight. And, honestly, a lot of people just can’t handle it. Did you hate “word problems” in math class? If so, you probably won’t make a good game designer.

Anyway, interesting to see all these related posts pop up all at once. Obviously it’s something lots of us have been thinking about.

Have fun!

Selling your ideas isn’t very different from that. You have to know who your audience is, tease out what they want, and pitch your idea so it sells to their conceptions. Business-oriented people are especially vulnerable to this: talk about your killer ap and you’ll get yawns, but say the feature will gain 200,000 new customers and they’ll snap wide awake. Everyone is guilty of this because they’re focused on their own specialty, and you must put your idea into their context.

For odd degrees, I have a degree in Politics / Religion. Makes for some interesting conversations at cocktail parties and company outings – “so, your education is in the two most divisive topics … how about those Pats?”