Re:Books I’ve read
by BeetleB on Friday June 03, 2022 @07:50PM
(#31615271)
I agree with the skepticism of fluff books.
Regarding technical books, I'll repeat a stance of mine: I spent over a decade in university, and learned a ton. The majority of which I never used. The majority of engineering/technical courses I took as an undergrad? Never once utilized for my job. When you start including grad level courses, the ratio looks much worse!
Reading just a few books on communication and negotiations has proved more useful than the majority of technical courses/books I've read - easily! Reading psychology and understanding what motivates people and how they behave was more effective at understanding dysfunction in the work place and did more for my career than the majority of technical books I've read.
Tech folks are addicted to tech, but sit down and start enumerating: How many technical books that you've read were of actual use to you? When you read your next technical book, are you doing it because you enjoy it (entertainment), or because it'll be useful to you? If the former (which is the case for most tech people), it's no better than reading a fluff book is for others.
Regarding technical books, I'll repeat a stance of mine: I spent over a decade in university, and learned a ton. The majority of which I never used. The majority of engineering/technical courses I took as an undergrad? Never once utilized for my job. When you start including grad level courses, the ratio looks much worse!
Reading just a few books on communication and negotiations has proved more useful than the majority of technical courses/books I've read - easily! Reading psychology and understanding what motivates people and how they behave was more effective at understanding dysfunction in the work place and did more for my career than the majority of technical books I've read.
Tech folks are addicted to tech, but sit down and start enumerating: How many technical books that you've read were of actual use to you? When you read your next technical book, are you doing it because you enjoy it (entertainment), or because it'll be useful to you? If the former (which is the case for most tech people), it's no better than reading a fluff book is for others.