The Lesson to Unlearn
19 hours ago
- School trains students to hack bad tests for good grades instead of focusing on actual learning, leading to a disconnect between grades and true knowledge.
- This mindset carries into adulthood, especially in startups, where founders often seek shortcuts (e.g., fundraising tricks) rather than building great products.
- Real success comes from doing good work, not hacking tests; in startups, winning means creating value for users.
- Bad tests are typically those imposed by authorities and are inherently hackable, while non-authority tests (e.g., sports) are unhackable.
- As authority erodes, more fields reward good work over test-hacking, and both individuals and society must unlearn this damaging pattern.