Tuesday, April 25, 2006

Stupid Smart People

Or as my close personal friend Bruce Campbell might have said, had it not ended up on the cutting room floor: "Oh, you STUPID Wise Men!"

Perhaps an even more appropriate title might be 'Intelligent Ignorami'

Example the first: My older sister, aged around 13, playing Mario on my new gameboy. I thought it was funny that she would jerk her hands upward as she tried to make Mario jump. Seems the joke was on me.

Example the second: A few years ago, showing my mate Has how to model in 3D Studio Max. His first response - "Why can't I just draw it?" Good question.

I'm fortunate to be surrounded by them. They're intelligent folk, who have no idea about something you do, or want to. If I were a publisher looking for someone to write a textbook, I'd look for someone very intelligent who knows as little as possible about the subject, and get them to write it in an almost diary-like fashion, so students get how someone actually learned the topic, rather than how someone thinks they should learn it.

Just a thought.

And for those back home to whom I haven't waxed lyrical on the subject - I have found a new ideal career - As a tourguide, punting along the river Cam. Big thanks to Lu for putting a roof over my head and introducing me to so many fun people while I was in Cambridge the other week!

"It's dot com!"