This is a journal that is to be a record of my daily reading - a typical case of the cycle of consumption followed by production. It is something I've been meaning to do for a while, but the fact that it gets materialised only now due to it being a part of my post graduation studies, could be an indication for the struggles to come. Either way, this should make for an useful experience.
22 June '13
#1: Paul Graham on Writing and Speaking
This essay by Paul Graham, who is the founder of the startup incubator Y Combinator, was published in March 2012 on his personal website. Its about exactly what the title says - a small comparison between writing and speaking, or rather, why he prefers writing over speaking.
He makes the argument by reflecting on personal experiences from his past, both as an observer and a participant. With an informal style, and use of relatively short sentences and paragraphs, he effectively separates out the intricacies of writing and speaking, when it comes to putting your idea across. He also has side notes to further explain a few points so as to not give any room for contradictions or conflicts, making it easier for the reader to understand.
Paul Graham begins with his verdict itself, something that one usually finds at the end, about how writing is a better medium to clearly articulate ideas, and I'd agree, as "good speaking" is more direct and instant - you get a reaction immediately, and one needs to be on his toes constantly. He openly admits that he is not a good speaker, and also that he'd rather be a good writer than a good speaker, indicating the importance of getting ideas across, than merely engaging an audience.
He goes on to explore other aspects of speaking, like the audience, which although have roles in both, it has a steeper affect on speaking. He concludes by mentioning a couple of advantages of speaking, one being that of mass motivation - public speaking can bring about a force much more powerful than writing could do, the famous speech "I Have A Dream" by Martin Luther King being the most obvious example.
The points are simple, clear, well explained, and largely derived from his own experiences, and they are for the most part in line with my thoughts regarding this topic. I would definitely look back on this whenever scoping for information or guidance.
22 June '13
#1: Paul Graham on Writing and Speaking
This essay by Paul Graham, who is the founder of the startup incubator Y Combinator, was published in March 2012 on his personal website. Its about exactly what the title says - a small comparison between writing and speaking, or rather, why he prefers writing over speaking.
He makes the argument by reflecting on personal experiences from his past, both as an observer and a participant. With an informal style, and use of relatively short sentences and paragraphs, he effectively separates out the intricacies of writing and speaking, when it comes to putting your idea across. He also has side notes to further explain a few points so as to not give any room for contradictions or conflicts, making it easier for the reader to understand.
Paul Graham begins with his verdict itself, something that one usually finds at the end, about how writing is a better medium to clearly articulate ideas, and I'd agree, as "good speaking" is more direct and instant - you get a reaction immediately, and one needs to be on his toes constantly. He openly admits that he is not a good speaker, and also that he'd rather be a good writer than a good speaker, indicating the importance of getting ideas across, than merely engaging an audience.
He goes on to explore other aspects of speaking, like the audience, which although have roles in both, it has a steeper affect on speaking. He concludes by mentioning a couple of advantages of speaking, one being that of mass motivation - public speaking can bring about a force much more powerful than writing could do, the famous speech "I Have A Dream" by Martin Luther King being the most obvious example.
The points are simple, clear, well explained, and largely derived from his own experiences, and they are for the most part in line with my thoughts regarding this topic. I would definitely look back on this whenever scoping for information or guidance.
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