Cereal Killers and Shoe Makers

I am writing a PSA on reading this morning. Read. Read outside your areas of expertise and interest. It is easy to read within your interest. You will not expand your thinking this way however.

When I was younger, I tried to read a book by Anne Coulter. I did not complete the first chapter. The book was unreadably bad and dishonest. The book was hostile and vicious and venomous. I do not mean this. I do not mean the faux journalistic trend to false balance. I mean expand your interests. I mean that if you are a writer, read a book on the art of Monet to get the perspective of a different creative endeavor. I mean reading about the history of Europe if you are an architect to learn about how the ideas of the ages informed the architecture. I mean reading about Buddhism if you are a Christian, and about Hinduism if you are a Buddhist. I mean reading about marketing if you are Pastor. I mean reading about history of breakfast cereal if you make websites. I mean reading about automotive design if you design haute couture sneakers. Cross pollinate. Learn beyond the assumptions of your current frame.

I don’t mean to waste time with bad faith opposition. But to expand in to new areas and deliberately apply what you learn to your own frame- and thus expand that frame.