Helpful links
If you find you're on a similar journey of discovery and resonate with the things I write, here's a list of links to web pages you might find helpful, and my experience with them:
Wikipedia:
I know Wikipedia has a reputation for being, well, unreputable, but there's plenty of solid evidence to suggest otherwise. In any case, even if the information is inaccurate, I find wikipedia to be a great starting point for forays into subjects I would never know anything about otherwise, and from there I can learn about the inaccuracies later. Largely accurate, accessible, and best of all, it's free. Don't listen to the haters; Wikipedia it up!
I would only advise against using Wikipedia for learning about matters of small, localized interest with few people who would read about it, and fewer who care to write about it. Wikipedia's anonymous and collaborative editing is best for subject matters with broad appeal and interest; its effectiveness at self-regulation depends largely on the scale of interest in the subject at hand. The fewer eyes that see and care about the subject, the more likely it will be inappropriately biased or poorly written.
I also advise against Wikipedia for casual study of advanced scientific and mathematical subjects (example here). Wikipedia writers spare no details, and I can spend an hour poring over a single paragraph in some of these articles and come out even more confused than when I went in. If I want basics, Youtube generally has helpful videos that can explain them better than Wikipedia articles.
Pay careful attention to "More citations needed" and for tags at the top of the article (example here). Pay attention to that, and you'll be fine. :D
TED:
I LOVE. TED talks. I've experienced some of my most inspiring moments through listening to these. I highly recommend Brene' Brown's "Power of Vulnerability" talk, as well as just about everything she says or writes. I'm a total fangirl.
My only caution with these is that they are meant to be more the telling of stories, and as such they can be prone to scientific or factual inaccuracies. I keep an eye out for those and do occasional fact-checks as the situation warrants.
YouTube:
YouTube is a reflection of humanity. The content ranges from lectures and inspiring speeches and music to tornado chases to hours-long Vine compilations to footage of industrial accidents to pimple popping videos to home video of the jumpers from 9/11. There is no shortage of content, and it can be offensive, traumatic, or downright dangerous.
YouTube is a resource that responds to the intentions of its user. If you go looking for things that you ought not, you will find them. If you go looking for things that are inspiring and beautiful, you will find them. Believe me, I've done both.
This is it for now, more to come as I remember them. :)
Wikipedia:
I know Wikipedia has a reputation for being, well, unreputable, but there's plenty of solid evidence to suggest otherwise. In any case, even if the information is inaccurate, I find wikipedia to be a great starting point for forays into subjects I would never know anything about otherwise, and from there I can learn about the inaccuracies later. Largely accurate, accessible, and best of all, it's free. Don't listen to the haters; Wikipedia it up!
I would only advise against using Wikipedia for learning about matters of small, localized interest with few people who would read about it, and fewer who care to write about it. Wikipedia's anonymous and collaborative editing is best for subject matters with broad appeal and interest; its effectiveness at self-regulation depends largely on the scale of interest in the subject at hand. The fewer eyes that see and care about the subject, the more likely it will be inappropriately biased or poorly written.
I also advise against Wikipedia for casual study of advanced scientific and mathematical subjects (example here). Wikipedia writers spare no details, and I can spend an hour poring over a single paragraph in some of these articles and come out even more confused than when I went in. If I want basics, Youtube generally has helpful videos that can explain them better than Wikipedia articles.
Pay careful attention to "More citations needed" and for tags at the top of the article (example here). Pay attention to that, and you'll be fine. :D
TED:
I LOVE. TED talks. I've experienced some of my most inspiring moments through listening to these. I highly recommend Brene' Brown's "Power of Vulnerability" talk, as well as just about everything she says or writes. I'm a total fangirl.
My only caution with these is that they are meant to be more the telling of stories, and as such they can be prone to scientific or factual inaccuracies. I keep an eye out for those and do occasional fact-checks as the situation warrants.
YouTube:
YouTube is a reflection of humanity. The content ranges from lectures and inspiring speeches and music to tornado chases to hours-long Vine compilations to footage of industrial accidents to pimple popping videos to home video of the jumpers from 9/11. There is no shortage of content, and it can be offensive, traumatic, or downright dangerous.
YouTube is a resource that responds to the intentions of its user. If you go looking for things that you ought not, you will find them. If you go looking for things that are inspiring and beautiful, you will find them. Believe me, I've done both.
This is it for now, more to come as I remember them. :)
Comments
Post a Comment