Comments on: The Curses of Knowledge and Egocentricity http://lifeupfront.com/2010/06/27/the-curse-of-knowledge-egocentricity-in-cad/ Making better decisions and more profit with Computer Aided Engineering Tue, 31 Jan 2012 14:10:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Jeff Waters http://lifeupfront.com/2010/06/27/the-curse-of-knowledge-egocentricity-in-cad/#comment-379 Jeff Waters Tue, 03 May 2011 11:31:00 +0000 http://lifeupfront.com/?p=875#comment-379 Thanks Evan... I just got really depressed reading that! Thanks Evan… I just got really depressed reading that!

]]> By: Evan http://lifeupfront.com/2010/06/27/the-curse-of-knowledge-egocentricity-in-cad/#comment-378 Evan Tue, 03 May 2011 11:06:00 +0000 http://lifeupfront.com/?p=875#comment-378 Wow... great to hear! Let me add, though, that living in an egocentric world is absolute hell. (I know this from experience, and am currently trying to change this about myself.) If you don't mind, I'd like to share a piece from my recent journal entry: "The World of an Egocentric, Pathological Solipsist Maniac: You are the only one capable of understanding the world you see. In fact, you are the only one who truly exists. All other people are figments of an otherwise empty imagination. It's a nihilist world where the outcome of anything is arbitrary. All things can be escaped simply by waiting for them to leave. All developed characteristics and social skills are there for the purpose of guiding and manipulating reality. A conversation is unengaged, robotic acting. Emotions exist because of the unfortunate way in which Darwinism favours them. All things are deterministic. All social relations are an act in order to appease the other robots that surround you. You see all others as dumb, self-unaware robots who could not possibly understand you. You use others for your own success, and never appreciate their inherent worth. Success of others rips you apart. Being wrong is your absolute biggest fear. And even if reality does seem to suggest that you're wrong, you simply need to hide in the fake imaginary world you've created to suppress it and hide from it. Even expert psychologists couldn't possibly understand you, simply because they are robots, or figments of your reality, to which nothing they say can ever apply to you. " Well so... yea. It's hell. Trust me, I know.. hahah... But seriously the point I'm trying to make is that often the most selfish, egotistical kind of people out there are actually suffering more than you could imagine. And often those personality characteristics develop due to some sort of abuse/emotional neglect etc during childhood. Anyways I apologize if that was too personal... I just thought it would be cool to share, as I'm guessing the vulnerabilities of egotistical maniacs are rarely revealed... hehe. Cheers Wow… great to hear!
Let me add, though, that living in an egocentric world is absolute hell. (I know this from experience, and am currently trying to change this about myself.)

If you don’t mind, I’d like to share a piece from my recent journal entry:

“The World of an Egocentric, Pathological Solipsist Maniac:

You are the only one capable of understanding the world you see. In fact, you are the only one who truly exists. All other people are figments of an otherwise empty imagination. It’s a nihilist world where the outcome of anything is arbitrary. All things can be escaped simply by waiting for them to leave. All developed characteristics and social skills are there for the purpose of guiding and manipulating reality. A conversation is unengaged, robotic acting. Emotions exist because of the unfortunate way in which Darwinism favours them. All things are deterministic. All social relations are an act in order to appease the other robots that surround you. You see all others as dumb, self-unaware robots who could not possibly understand you. You use others for your own success, and never appreciate their inherent worth. Success of others rips you apart. Being wrong is your absolute biggest fear. And even if reality does seem to suggest that you’re wrong, you simply need to hide in the fake imaginary world you’ve created to suppress it and hide from it. Even expert psychologists couldn’t possibly understand you, simply because they are robots, or figments of your reality, to which nothing they say can ever apply to you. ”

Well so… yea. It’s hell. Trust me, I know.. hahah… But seriously the point I’m trying to make is that often the most selfish, egotistical kind of people out there are actually suffering more than you could imagine. And often those personality characteristics develop due to some sort of abuse/emotional neglect etc during childhood.

Anyways I apologize if that was too personal… I just thought it would be cool to share, as I’m guessing the vulnerabilities of egotistical maniacs are rarely revealed… hehe.

Cheers

]]> By: Jeff Waters http://lifeupfront.com/2010/06/27/the-curse-of-knowledge-egocentricity-in-cad/#comment-377 Jeff Waters Thu, 01 Jul 2010 15:24:13 +0000 http://lifeupfront.com/?p=875#comment-377 CHD, both you and Bruce have commented on the relation to teaching. I actually hadn't really considered that... I thought the teaching bit in this post was really just an example.<br><br>Great idea, though, for a next action if you find yourself stricken with either curse: Do something with kids in a teaching role to help exercise the empathy muscle! CHD, both you and Bruce have commented on the relation to teaching. I actually hadn't really considered that… I thought the teaching bit in this post was really just an example.

Great idea, though, for a next action if you find yourself stricken with either curse: Do something with kids in a teaching role to help exercise the empathy muscle!

]]> By: CHD http://lifeupfront.com/2010/06/27/the-curse-of-knowledge-egocentricity-in-cad/#comment-376 CHD Wed, 30 Jun 2010 19:04:40 +0000 http://lifeupfront.com/?p=875#comment-376 Jeff -- great observation. I might add that this is not unique to the engineering domain. The general word for this ability is "empathy", (which contrary to popular belief is not a synonym for "sympathy"). <br>It is a key to writing well (as you did). I vividly remember my 10th grade English teacher admonishing me to "remember your audience!", over and over. Same concept. <br>Also, as you pointed out, this is related to teaching. All of my childrens' elementary school teachers have **liked** kids, but only one has had the ability to understand the differing motivations of each one and then tap in to that to get the most from every student.<br>Finally, I have found that working with kids -- I just returned from a week at Cub Scout Summer Camp with my son and 12 of his peers -- has really helped me be a better co-worker and mentor back at the job. Jeff — great observation. I might add that this is not unique to the engineering domain. The general word for this ability is “empathy”, (which contrary to popular belief is not a synonym for “sympathy”).
It is a key to writing well (as you did). I vividly remember my 10th grade English teacher admonishing me to “remember your audience!”, over and over. Same concept.
Also, as you pointed out, this is related to teaching. All of my childrens' elementary school teachers have **liked** kids, but only one has had the ability to understand the differing motivations of each one and then tap in to that to get the most from every student.
Finally, I have found that working with kids — I just returned from a week at Cub Scout Summer Camp with my son and 12 of his peers — has really helped me be a better co-worker and mentor back at the job.

]]> By: Jeff Waters http://lifeupfront.com/2010/06/27/the-curse-of-knowledge-egocentricity-in-cad/#comment-375 Jeff Waters Wed, 30 Jun 2010 07:28:06 +0000 http://lifeupfront.com/?p=875#comment-375 Exactly, Bruce. "You do have to start where your audience is." Thanks for commenting! Exactly, Bruce. “You do have to start where your audience is.” Thanks for commenting!

]]> By: Bruce http://lifeupfront.com/2010/06/27/the-curse-of-knowledge-egocentricity-in-cad/#comment-374 Bruce Tue, 29 Jun 2010 22:51:17 +0000 http://lifeupfront.com/?p=875#comment-374 I am an expert in feedback controls and analysis and modeling of dynamic systems. Feedback controls is a field that is not understood by most engineers, and so it is not possible to communicate to them the details of how a design is done. I solve that problem by using the analysis of the system to drive the design so that the mechanical engineers and electrical engineers have numbers to use in their designs. I have a lot of experience in electronics design and am a natural mechanical engineer which allows me to critique the mechanical designs. I also know how to work with the guys doing FEAs so that the structure is stiff and as light as possible and will withstand whatever shock environment is specified. I think the problem of not communicating with people who are not knowledgeable in your field has to do with your ability as a teacher, and not all people are good at teaching. You do have to start where your audience is. BTW, forget the Nyquist plot and use a Nichols plot. The Nichols plot is a rectilinear, semi-log plot that will get you from open loop to closed loop graphically. It is a very powerful tool for servo design. I am an expert in feedback controls and analysis and modeling of dynamic systems. Feedback controls is a field that is not understood by most engineers, and so it is not possible to communicate to them the details of how a design is done. I solve that problem by using the analysis of the system to drive the design so that the mechanical engineers and electrical engineers have numbers to use in their designs. I have a lot of experience in electronics design and am a natural mechanical engineer which allows me to critique the mechanical designs. I also know how to work with the guys doing FEAs so that the structure is stiff and as light as possible and will withstand whatever shock environment is specified. I think the problem of not communicating with people who are not knowledgeable in your field has to do with your ability as a teacher, and not all people are good at teaching. You do have to start where your audience is. BTW, forget the Nyquist plot and use a Nichols plot. The Nichols plot is a rectilinear, semi-log plot that will get you from open loop to closed loop graphically. It is a very powerful tool for servo design.

]]> By: derrekcooper http://lifeupfront.com/2010/06/27/the-curse-of-knowledge-egocentricity-in-cad/#comment-373 derrekcooper Mon, 28 Jun 2010 19:54:16 +0000 http://lifeupfront.com/?p=875#comment-373 spot on, dude! We "all" suffer from this at various levels. It's refreshing to be reminded to open your eyes, you aren't the only smart one in the room.. In fact, if you would just shut up and listen, you might actually learn something. spot on, dude! We “all” suffer from this at various levels. It's refreshing to be reminded to open your eyes, you aren't the only smart one in the room.. In fact, if you would just shut up and listen, you might actually learn something.

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