Learning vs. Edutainment
17 Sep 2024
Learning is what turns information consumption into long-lasting knowledge. The two things are different: while information is ephemeral, true knowledge is foundational. If knowledge were a person, information would be its picture.
The fact of the matter is that digital products make it uniquely easy to trick yourself into thinking that you’re learning when you are actually being entertained.
How to Learn Better in the Digital Age
We often confuse learning with edutainment as laid out perfectly by Gian in this article.
Reading more newsletters, watching more videos, going through threads on X etc. is not learning! Learning is when you put in the effort.
In other words, I need to do something with it. To create something. Write a blog post about it, use it in a new project, test it on the field, teach it at a meetup. That’s why I speak at many conferences: it’s a learning tool.
There are no learning hacks.
Just put in the effort.
The core idea is trying my best to not kid myself: when my engagement with a piece of content is active and effortful then it’s learning, when it’s passive it’s entertainment. When I create I learn. When I consume I just relax.