No, You Don’t Get an A for Effort

“I don’t know” is not an admission of ignorance. It’s an expression of intellectual humility.

“I was wrong” is not a confession of failure. It’s a display of intellectual integrity.

“I don’t understand” is not a sign of stupidity. It’s a catalyst for intellectual curiosity.

Some articles that piqued my curiosity recently:

1. Why Can’t You Just Deal with It? (Joshua Rothman, New Yorker)

A case for prioritizing our enduring values and goals over our ephemeral emotions. “What you build today will still exist a year from now, and what you feel won’t.”

2. The Telepathy Trap (Daniel Egber, Atlantic)

The extraordinary claims that some children can read their parents’ minds are utterly unsupported by evidence. Sadly, it isn’t the first time.

3. Writing as Transformation (Louise Gluck, New Yorker)

An insightful exploration of how the words we put on the page change who we become.

From my desk

Read: No, You Don’t Get an A for Effort

I’m seeing a growing number of students complain: “My grade doesn’t reflect the effort I put into the course.” Public service announcement: High marks are for mastery, not for motivation. The true measure of learning is not the time and energy you put in—it’s the knowledge and skills you take out.

Listen:

• Improving teen mental health with Lisa Damour: Apple | Spotify | Transcript

• Should leaders be feared or loved with Niall Ferguson: Apple | Spotify | Transcript

• Sam Altman on the future of AI and humanity: Apple | Spotify | Transcript

• Rewriting your story with Allison Sweet Grant. February 11, 2025. Apple | Spotify | Transcript

In solidarity,

Adam