Re:My Mathematical Regression
by lajarre on Thursday July 02, 2026 @09:36AM
(#48761416)
i often hear this frustration, been hit by it first-hand and am just recovering
my keys to overcoming this frustration:
* capture (focus on) the joy of doing math; this doesn't get better the more you know (i'd argue, to the contrary); a child figuring out that 2+2 = 3+1 is as profoundly moved as Tao doing his most advanced ones
* be responsible and figure out what parts of the maths journey have lastingly influenced your way of thinking about the world; if you trust math is really beautiful or "it's the language of the universe" or something, then it _must_ have an influence on how you see things; not because of the theorems, but because of the practice; isolate this, nurture it
my keys to overcoming this frustration:
* capture (focus on) the joy of doing math; this doesn't get better the more you know (i'd argue, to the contrary); a child figuring out that 2+2 = 3+1 is as profoundly moved as Tao doing his most advanced ones
* be responsible and figure out what parts of the maths journey have lastingly influenced your way of thinking about the world; if you trust math is really beautiful or "it's the language of the universe" or something, then it _must_ have an influence on how you see things; not because of the theorems, but because of the practice; isolate this, nurture it