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Comment by thirdtruck | Hacker News Reader

It's the "Curse of knowledge" that haunts all experts, and which they have to consciously struggle against.

Our brains optimize very aggressively when it comes to mastery. Our old "the beginner's mind" neural connections are some of the first to go. The ability to empathize (via modeling said mind) is "optimized away" with them.

People say that "Those who cannot do, teach," but the corollary -- "Those who do, cannot teach" -- often applies, as well.

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I'm not sure this explanation holds water. Plenty of experts have managed to keep their beginner's mind, and they are often the very best in their field. In lots of fields, keeping an open, learning mind is an important part of being considered a leader, so it should never be 'optimized away'.

I'm also not saying anything about empathizing, even just an intellectual appreciation for somebody learning your matter should be enough to not lash out and be a dick. And it surprised me that there are so many that fail to bring up even that little appreciation.

I agree: plenty of experts have done just that, and I would further posit that keeping that beginner's mind is one reason why they're so good. It distinguishes them from the majority who go the easier, more natural route of letting their minds forget.

Ideally, intellectual appreciation would be enough. We're very complicated creatures, though, and the thing we called "empathy" is a complicated, multifaceted phenomenon.

Nice scientific explanation to being an unkind asshole.

It's merely an explanation, not an excuse.

That's a converse, not a corollary. Converse isn't always true, corollary is.

You are correct. Thank you. :)

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