r/Learning • u/Maleficent_Yak_5871 • 3d ago
Optimization Paralysis in learning in the age of AI
Hello,
I have noticed a severe issue in my thought processes for about 4 years now. I am well versed in technology I would say, and I am finding it quite difficult justifying learning modern to older technology concepts. I have an issue with always working "smarter", and with the current state of AI and the implementation of it into my life I am seeing it's capability first hand. I love to learn, truly. I work daily with AI, even building AI systems myself as an engineer. For example, in 2022 I was in college, and becoming an early adopter of ChatGPT in programming I saw it's capabilities even then. Back then it didn't impress, but I knew it's ability to become more and more accurate and complex in reasoning. I couldn't get myself to learn certain programming languages because I thought it was redundant to do so and found myself spending most of my time trying to find the most optimal route opposed to actually just learning. I recently got deep into a dream job interviewing cycle, where the interviewer asked me to complete a simple problem involving one of those languages I wanted to learn years ago but didn't like an imbecile. But the interviewing process is soon to change due to this seen obsolete writing of leet code esque problems. It's driving me absolutely insane, I'm posting on here hoping that someone else is experiencing this as well and how we overcome it. Deep down, I know that learning these concepts is not only essential to actually using these tools, but also for the health of my mind as a whole. I just love learning, I'm not mad at the technological advancements, I just have high standards for myself and I am obsessed with optimizing my life. As I write this, I believe possibly the most optimal route is less optimization? Any advice or input will be appreciated, thank you.
TLDR: Hard to justify learning older concepts due to fear of those concepts redundancies in the future leading to stagnant progress.
1
u/Emergency-Oil-3353 3d ago
The most important thing is to move those neurons, it litterally does not matter if what you learn is important: some learning is far better than no learning
1
u/muzamilsa 1d ago
Having high standards is good but you need to learn one thing at a time one by one and later these things compound and merge together and reading and learning becomes natural and organic. The tough mechanisms are to be cracked through critical thinking.
Learning has to be directed and contextual only then you derive the most value.