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I strongly disagree. When you read a book or understand a different point of view, even if it doesn’t change your beliefs or directly apply to your life, I still think it has value. Saying that something is a waste of time just because it didn’t transform you as a person feels too extreme; Like saying that watching a movie that didn’t change you is pointless. Consuming content, whether reading or watching, improves your reasoning simply by increasing your exposure and mental “sample size.” The value of that knowledge might not be immediately applicable when you finish, but that doesn’t mean it’s useless; it could become relevant at some point in the future. So are you really going to finish something, see that it wasn’t immediately applicable, and already judge it as a waste of time? I think that mindset is too rigid.
Also, not all value is practical or immediate. Some knowledge strengthens your ability to think critically, interpret situations, and communicate better. Even if you never “use” a specific piece of information, it can shape how you analyze problems and understand people. There’s also the idea of optionality: the more you know, the more prepared you are to recognize and take advantage of opportunities when they appear. You can’t predict beforehand what will become useful later.
Another point is that exposure to different ideas helps you avoid intellectual narrowness. If you only engage with what is directly useful, you risk becoming efficient but limited—good at executing, but not at adapting or innovating. Many insights come from unexpected connections between unrelated areas, and that only happens if you allow yourself to explore beyond immediate utility.
Finally, judging something as “useless” right after finishing it ignores how learning actually works. Understanding often compounds over time; something that seems irrelevant today can click later when combined with new experiences. So dismissing knowledge too quickly is less a reflection of its value and more a limitation of timing.
2026-04-17 17:41:15