I definitely see the “levels” phenomenon very often. Most people I meet who see me play a musical instrument (or 5 or 10 different ones) think I must be a genius at music—unless they’re a musician, then they recognize me as an amateur with enough money to buy interesting instruments and enough skill to get a basic proficiency at them quickly.
And even with standard measures of intellect like rationality or math… I don’t know that many of my friends who have read any of this blog would recognize you as being smarter than me, despite the fact that you’re enough levels above me that my opinion of you is pretty much what “Not You” said above.
I can keep up with most of your posts, but to be able to keep up with a good teacher, and to be that good teacher, is a gap of at least a few levels. But aspiring to your level (though I may not reach it) has probably been the biggest motivator for me to practice the art. I certainly won’t be the one who zips by you, but you’ve at least pulled me up to a level where I might be able to guide one who will down a useful path.
I definitely see the “levels” phenomenon very often. Most people I meet who see me play a musical instrument (or 5 or 10 different ones) think I must be a genius at music—unless they’re a musician, then they recognize me as an amateur with enough money to buy interesting instruments and enough skill to get a basic proficiency at them quickly.
And even with standard measures of intellect like rationality or math… I don’t know that many of my friends who have read any of this blog would recognize you as being smarter than me, despite the fact that you’re enough levels above me that my opinion of you is pretty much what “Not You” said above.
I can keep up with most of your posts, but to be able to keep up with a good teacher, and to be that good teacher, is a gap of at least a few levels. But aspiring to your level (though I may not reach it) has probably been the biggest motivator for me to practice the art. I certainly won’t be the one who zips by you, but you’ve at least pulled me up to a level where I might be able to guide one who will down a useful path.