domeet webmaster

Memory is like saliva, forgetting to learn

Editor’s note: This article is from WeChat public account ” (ID: lishaojia2015), author Li Shaojia.

A lot of evidence proves that for those who are eager to learn, “memory” is comparable to a dream lover.

Otherwise, how to explain the problem that I received the inquiry in the background is always:

Read the book, can’t remember;

Reading a book, taking notes, can’t remember;

Reading books, taking notes, doing exercises, for a long time, still can’t remember;

……

Wherever you study, you must win the heart of “memory.” Isn’t this a lover?

But passion is always accompanied by blindness and prejudice. The same is true of the relationship between learning and memory.

The more you value memory, the easier it is to remember nothing.

Following, I will announce the fact that I am more eye-catching: in learning this, you fall in love with the wrong object.

Memory is not the goal of learning.

Remembrance is like a roaring communicative flower, wherever it should be exposed to the sense of existence, but one day, once it shuts up, we will suddenly realize that it is quiet, it is beautiful, can’t remember, square It is learned.

For example, when you walk, you need to recite “the center of gravity moves forward, the premise is slightly tilted, the thigh is lifted, the calf is driven…” and then can you walk?

No, you don’t need to. I promise that if you really want to go so far, you will become the same.

The same is true for learning. What you should pursue is not memory, but internalization.

1. The difference between internalization and memory

Internalization of the word, we are no stranger.

Some people simplify it as “muscle memory”, just like we walk, swim, table tennis, repeat precision exercises, and incorporate standard movements into the hands.

This kind of thinking will naturally be diverted to what we usually call “learning”, so it is not surprising that the concepts of “10,000-hour law” and “deliberate practice” flourish and spread widely. After all, the phenomenon of “muscle memory” is obvious in sports competition and is quite convincing.

But the effectiveness of muscle memory may only be hidden in invisible causality – it happens to hit a certain pattern of “physical development” and is therefore effective.

But what we mean by “learning” is just the training of “symbolic thinking” in the brain. There is very little correlation with muscle nerves. Is this “training” that relies on “memory” as the core really useful?

For example, when I was hiring content operations, I found an interesting phenomenon.

NoThe works attached to the lesser candidates (copywriting) fully exemplify the typical “story structure”—manufacturing conflicts—setting suspense—solving problems, albeit slightly oysters, but at least they are “going on the road”.

But I was amazed that whether it is their resume or the interview process, there is no trace of the “story thinking”. Whether introducing themselves or describing the experience, they are all plain and straightforward.

I asked these people how the work was written. The answers are striking and consistent, and they are set in accordance with the “story frame.”

This is the problem. If you really internalize the “story thinking”, then whether it is a chat, a speech, a report can fully reflect the “fun”. But obviously, although they are familiar with the story frame of “suspense-conflict-development-solve”, unfortunately, they have never learned story thinking.

And a person who internalizes “story thinking”, if you ask him, do you understand “storyization”?

He will tell you that he doesn’t understand. But you tell him what is story thinking, he will be surprised to tell you:

Do you want to learn? Don’t you just talk when you want to attract attention?

This is the huge difference between memory and internalization.

The former is “applying formulas”, you tell him that when you can apply a formula here, they do it and do it in no way (say, programming is not like this)

The latter is to understand the “problem module” from the real situation, and follow the “familiar feeling” in the thinking to complete it. He does not know what formula he has applied, but still solves the task well.

So, Zhang Sanfeng summed up in place: I forgot to do it all, and that is really learned.

Second, memory, such as saliva, assist internalization knowledge

Of course, “memory” is not nothing.

Although we often regard memory as a hard disk, the analogy is simply “like a god.” From a more scientific point of view, the positioning of memory in human intelligence is a bit of anomaly. It is like when we chew food. Secreted – saliva.

When we learn new knowledge, I mean, a new information model (such as the “story thinking” just mentioned), memory is equivalent to the “scaffolding” function of the building, to help us sort out and guide thinking.

Once we internalize the new “information model”, it is equivalent to “construction completed”, and the scaffolding-related memory can be removed. After all, it is useless except for increasing the memory burden. .

Yes, memory is like saliva, which is the scaffolding of our internalization knowledge.

The problem in reality is that many people regard scaffolding as the building itself. They repeatedly dismantled and built the scaffolding again and again in their thinking, so that the thinking city is always absurd.

This is why youI feel that I have learned a lot and remembered a lot (concepts), but in actual application, I still have nothing, so you interpret it as “can’t remember.”

The goal of learning is to internalize knowledge, but internalization does not mean memory.

With the previous metaphorical analysis foundation, below, we can understand: How can we truly internalize knowledge and achieve “do not think about thinking.”

Three, The first step of internalization learning: with prior knowledge

Before we talked about the deliberate practice of “muscle memory” because it happens to hit a certain law of physical development, which we are all familiar with – step by step.

But in the “post-school” learning, that is, the development of symbolic thinking, it is not as obvious as it seems.

We have arranged “preparatory knowledge” for us from elementary school to high school.

Take “walking” as an example.

Sports skills, we instinct to follow the “step by step” rule.

For example, except for Sun Dasheng, the average person will not learn from the mother’s womb. We will learn to turn over, learn to sit, climb, learn to stand, and then learn to take the first step…

This set of internal procedures for learning to walk is actually the default setting for engraving in genes. The default settings are always ignored like air.

But in knowledge learning (symbolic thinking), human genes do not have the ability to “civilize” to write “preparatory paths” for all knowledge learning in genes.

For example, before learning general relativity, genes don’t guide us to the library, analytic analytic geometry, calculus, Newtonian mechanics, Maxwell’s equations…

There is a lack of necessary “preparatory knowledge” and new knowledge cannot be learned.

This leads to the first major condition of knowledge internalization: having pre-requisite knowledge (prerequisites)

Before you learn a certain knowledge, you must already have the preparatory knowledge, otherwise we would like to learn ballet just as we did not learn to stand up

We look back at the reality. In the past two years, the training courses for teaching people to tell stories have blossomed everywhere, but in the end, there are very few people who can integrate story thinking into various fields (internalization). why?

Because storytelling seems simple, but behind it requires at least the following background:

• Ethicalism

• Cognitive theory (involving the theory of “attention”)

• Use of symbols

The above preliminary knowledge is missingNothing.

At the moment, the light requires “empathy” to eliminate many people. why?

Because of the “pre-knowledge” with empathy is self-awareness and a deep understanding of human nature.

A person who lacks self-awareness cannot have empathy, and it is impossible for a person who cannot have empathy to internalize story thinking. He can imitate and draw on the template of other people’s storytelling, but he still does not understand the essence of the story.

In fact, having pre-requisite knowledge to internalize new knowledge is the main point of the “most recent development zone” theory of the famous psychologist Vygotsky.

So, does it mean that we have the prerequisites that we can internalize knowledge?

Unfortunately, Vygotsky’s life was awful, and at the age of 37, she died young. God did not leave enough time to complete the study.

I have found follow-up answers from other psychology, cranial and cognitive science research, and pedagogical theories. On the basis of preconditions, we also need the following: internalization motivation, new knowledge creation, and improved verification.

Life is endless and there is no end. Obviously, having the prerequisites is just to qualify, it is like 100 companies to inform you to go to the interview, but you can’t go to the appointment – you will only pick companies that can evoke your passion.

This is the second condition for internalizing knowledge.

4, The second step of internalization learning: internalization power

Of course, this “motivation” is not as passionate as it is literally. Different people react differently.

Some people call it “curious”, some people call it “doubt”, and some people call it “frustrated” – in essence, it is reflected as “unexpected”, referred to as accident.

Example:

You have made a speech, and you have prepared for this for two weeks. You are full of confidence. During the speech, you see many people in the audience dozing off – this is the “accident”.

So, does capturing this information mean having the internalization power of “learning story thinking”?

Not necessarily, the point is here – it depends on your interpretation of the “accident”:

If you interpret the audience’s reaction as – “No taste, such a great speech does not appreciate.” The next speech, please continue your hypnosis.

Or, you interpret it as – prepared for two weeks is still boring, showing that you have no ability to speak.

……

These interpretations will suppress your internalization motivation.

Under this “mindset”, you can still continue to learn story thinking and understand it, but it can only become your memory “scaffolding” without internalization.

This is why “deliberate learning” cannot internalize knowledge and generate the root cause of knowledge accumulation, because it just puts “Scaffolding is the goal of learning, but does not “acquire” knowledge.

In turn, if the audience’s listlessness causes your curiosity, or wins, and gives you a strong desire to know “why the speech is not attractive,” then the internalization power is generated:

Your brain has entered an active “prepare for war” preparation (activating pre-requisite knowledge) and intends to incorporate “story thinking” (new knowledge) into your knowledge network.

So, next, if we don’t rely on “repetition memory (practice)”, how do we internalize new knowledge?

Here, let me reinvent Einstein’s famous saying with lofty respect: imagination is more important than knowledge.

I transformed it into—imagination is the architect of your knowledge.

Yes, the key to internalizing our knowledge is not memory, but imagination.

5, The third step of internalization learning: imagine creation

Writer James Joyce once asserted that the so-called imagination is memory.

As a master of literary “stream of consciousness”, Joyce’s “memory” is not the rote memorization that we have said in the past, but refers to the “internal knowledge” of the subconscious, that is, the knowledge after internalization. .

Internalization of the word, we are no stranger. However, many people often mention “internalization” and explain how important it is. Just like a Zen master, they close their eyes and leave their eyes to the readers.

I am not a master, let me give you a simple example. For example, learn the new knowledge that “whale is a mammal.”

The internalization process is as follows:

First, we must build new knowledge on the concept that you already know – mammals. Of course, you can read and remember it repeatedly: “Whales are mammals… whales are breastfeeding…” But this is not called internalization. This is called the chanting.

Internalization is the starting point from the old concept that you have mastered, that is, the mammal, and from the new knowledge, the whale finds many commonalities with the mammal, such as the thermostat, and then the “picture connection.”

This process, especially when we don’t see it in reality, requires special imagination:

You can imagine a whale mother with a baby, or imagine a whale constantly swallowing shrimp to maintain a picture of body temperature… without shackling your imagination, you can also think of penguins (birds don’t fly), bats (breastfeeding) Animals can fly.) These two are also species that are different from the intuitive image.

When we use imagination to create a connection between old concepts and new knowledge (preferably two or more dimensions), it means that new knowledge is starting the internalization process in your brain.

Of course, it is better to see the picture in reality, but many situations are not qualified, and the imagination can handle this major shortcoming.

This knowledge is simple, but it fully embodies the principle of internalizing new knowledge. We internalize and then complex abstract concepts, whether it is learning Bayes’ theorem, quantum mechanics, economic principles… the essential process is exactly the same – – Based on the old concepts (related) that they have mastered, use imagination (or practice) to establish a multi-dimensional connection between new knowledge and old concepts (usually more than one).

Many people think that “creativity” is a kind of “mystery” and needs “talent” talent. It is considered unattainable and is actually outrageous.

We can see from the above internalization process that internalization is a process of creation of thinking, and the essence of learning is to create new things in the mind. It can be seen that as long as you don’t give up studying, you will not lack creativity.

So, has we completed the internalization process of the above-mentioned imagination creation, which means that the (new) knowledge has been internalized?

The last step of the difference.

Evolution gives us the brain of paranoid survival of the fittest, especially when learning new knowledge. After all, if new knowledge has not been proven to be more competitive than old knowledge, recklessly replacing old knowledge, I am afraid we will not survive to this day.

Therefore, knowledge internalization also requires a final “determination” – proof of progress.

Six, The end of internalization learning: Progressive verification

This process is not as dull as the word “validation”, it is reflected in every aspect:

• External feedback: This is usually a direct and practical knowledge, such as forward feedback from readers, viewers, bosses, performance improvements, better data results, etc.;

• Internal feedback: This is usually indirect (partial theory) knowledge, for example, to give you more insights and revelations; to look at old problems with more perspectives, and to understand them now. And so on.

It is important to emphasize that the verification process is not as “hard” in the literal sense. It is more like the cautiousness of women when choosing a partner. In the seemingly silent and unintentional, seriously test new knowledge (whether it is more than the old knowledge) “Resilience”), this process, we can’t control consciously.

Here, I have to admire, the brain is indeed a very subtle structure – before you get enough “evidence” to prove that new knowledge is more reliable than old knowledge, the “new knowledge” you just internalized will not Let you show thatSignificant “progress”.

The latency of this “thinking upgrade” is controlled by the brain in the “background program”, we can’t control it consciously

This process can take days, weeks, or even months, but rarely “acts immediately.”

So, as we learn (internalize new knowledge), don’t take the eagerness to seek a state of mind, just like looking for an object, but also give the brain a little time.

At this point, I briefly introduced the new knowledge internalization (real learning) process. To sum up, in order to achieve “do not think” thinking, there are four steps to internalizing knowledge:

• Prerequisite: You have the basics to know, before you run, at least you have to walk

• Internalization Power: You must be sensitive to “accidents” and have a desire to correct accidents instead of escaping

• New Knowledge Creation: Building new knowledge with imagination (or real experience) based on old knowledge

• Improve verification: Seek “better” internal and external feedback, wait for the time

We may wish to examine the whole process one word at a time, and you will be surprised to find out – “Where is the memory?”

Yes, real learning, you can not leave a trace of space for “memory”! This may seem like anecdotal, but I can “prove” the facts at a lower level (it’s not too complicated to present).

The memory here refers specifically to the “external” memory that we pursue on weekdays, while the memory of internalization is generally expressed as “implicit”

If this topic is inspiring and eager to try to “internalize” these new knowledge, then I also recommend that you do not “remember” the above summary.

Instead, you can imagine the building process of “the high-rise building rises from the ground” in your mind; recall the phenomena that make you “very surprised”; or recall the feeling that “I have never understood it and suddenly understood it”… /p>

Nothing can be done, just don’t memorize it anymore. After two days, I saw your message in the background. “Can’t remember what to do…”

End, Major Derivation

The minded person should have discovered that this article, I am not serious about a serious wordquestion.

In this issue, the cognitive view of traditional learning is almost a miniature Copernican subversion—that is, in learning (internalization), memory, focusing… or saying, It wastes us too much attention to resources.

As you can see, in the four steps I proposed “internalization,” you can hardly find a trace of the mainstream behavior of “direct memory.”

After this road, go a few more steps and you will be amazed at each of its derivations, opening a new window of cognition.

For example, let me give a few deductions:

• The knowledge of true mastery (internalization) will be classified as “common sense”. We often despise common sense. Therefore, when you truly internalize knowledge, you will think that “nothing is learned”

• Conversely, you feel that “learning a new concept” may just be “remembering”, just to say “not yet internalized”

• Only internalization can produce a “superimposable cumulative progress” effect, otherwise remember more, just queue in the forgetting queue

• Knowledge management is useful for high scores, but if you want to internalize knowledge, you’d better forget those “learning methods” as soon as possible

• Multiple participation, observation, and immersion experience the rich life in reality (these are the foundation of imagination), which is essential for the improvement of learning ability. With extra-curricular tutoring to arrange a child’s holiday, it is likely to be murdering the child’s “intelligence”

• ……

Finally, please ignore the various mechanical behaviors such as reciting, memory, deliberate and so on.

If we really love someone, why should we remember to remember his appearance?

If you really want to learn something, it is best to let go of the rush of success, return to the heart of the child, fill in the imagination with the imagination, create the whole world of thinking.

For a few days, you will definitely find out –

If the sage is a rainbow, you will know it.