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Comment by isthisthingon99 | Hacker News Reader

YouTube is the best invention in modern history. While working I can passively listen to thousands of ideas in a year often curated by my interests automatically.

We don't teach people how to use these things well but we should.

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Unless this is sarcasm, I completely disagree. Listening to thousands of ideas inevitably lowers the value you attach to each one, and lowers the barrier of entry for what ideas you hear.

"It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it."

This is how I exercise that skill. I listen to science, sociology, religion, conspiracy theories, relationship dynamics, etc.

Sometimes, I pick up something. Most of the time I'm allowing the ideas to float around in my head.

It helps a lot to practice this skill, because I trade for a living and I need to be able to convince myself that I am wrong about something all the time.

Yeah, but receiving ideas non-stop isn't really "listening" to them. A more accurate description of that passive activity would be "hearing". I get that surrounding yourself by interesting ideas and conversations is a nice passive way of entertaining potentially alternative views. But there are way better setups in which to do this. The YouTube algorithm is unlikely to challenge you to the same extent of, say, organising a family dinner where the racist uncle or communist cousin are in attendance.

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