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Sometimes I wonder if it is worth learning some things.

I just spent $80 on 2 books that is the complete history of the internal combustion engine, and the development of the diesel engine.

There is literally no reason for me to learn the history of engines. Even if it has been a curiosity for years, I gain no value in learning it.

To work on an engine I don’t need to know the history, society is moving to electric engines so the future value is

negligible.

I have read about 8 history books in the last 3 months on agriculture, tractors, and farm tech. Most of it does not gain me anything.

So is it really worth it?

#history #grownostr #philosophy #continuingeducation

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Discussion

Jac 2y ago

I think reading history inspires me to ask if some innovationseems possible and to move into development. Rudolph knew that compression produces heat, and if stoichiometric fuel ratio, ignition, and pressure impulse timing were separated, there would be efficiency gains, but how to do it? The development nearly killed him directly and ultimately got him thrown off of a ship by fearful oil czars, but what an amazing journey. Without inspiration from the pioneers before us would we dare to try anything risky?

Buddy Lindsey 2y ago

Very true. I find the stories and history fascinating. Just one of those moments of self-doubt where I wonder if I should go back to business and marketing books that I like as well.

BitcoinJujitsu 2y ago

Why learn history at all? You learn macro trends, oppoaing parties and the forces that make it happen. Try "The Perfectionists" about precision engineering

Buddy Lindsey 2y ago

True. TBH sometimes I wonder how much history is worth learning. Is it worth diving deep. What value do I gain from learning little things of history other than to scratch my own itch.

As an example the history of the 3 point hitch. There is some very interesting history there from the books I have read. That is started with the ferguson system as a tractor. Then licensed with Ford and a couple of other tractor manufacturers. However, International Harvester saw problems with the 3 point hitch and made the fast hitch to compete, and it was a better hitch system. But they lost. Eventually, they reverse-engineered the 3 point hitch to not pay the licensing fees, and fixed problems with the original design that they saw.

From that I am super curious about who all licensed it, why did ford break away, what were the flaws in the design that IH saw, how did the overcome it, why didn't the fast hitch take hold?

All really interesting, but really who cares? it is settled we now have 3 point hitches.

Sometimes I just get caught up in my own brain.

I'll definitely checkout that book, and it is even on audible. I'll probably listen to it next.

₿logging₿itcoin 2y ago

Anything's worth learning. You’ll make connections you wouldn't otherwise have made, maybe years later.

Buddy Lindsey 2y ago

True, and I think that is the thing that keeps me going back and reading is I keep waiting for that day. 😆 Granted most of my life has been centered on technology, software, cloud infrastructure. Only in the last few years have I worked on learning things in the real world. So I have a lot to catch up on, and have a bit further before I have enough of a base of knowledge to start putting those things together.

Vardamir 2y ago

It think that it is. It sounds like you enjoy reading these things and that is a good enough reason, in this context.

Not everything has to be utilitarian.

Buddy Lindsey 2y ago

Agreed, but in my drive to succeed and have my own side hustle when i get on tangents like this I start to question myself.

That said it isn't that big of a tangent considering I am wanting to get a farm going, and be able to be self reliant on farm equipment. So while learning the history of the engine isn't a direct application, it will probably help.

Tim 2y ago

follow your curiosity. it may lead you mysterious, and sometimes unintuitive, places, but one day you will end up exactly where you belong, and you will wonder how you got there(:

Buddy Lindsey 2y ago

I can understand that. I feel like that is a model of my life. I grew up as a tech person, always on the computer learning to program, or game as a teenager, I went into software development as a career. However, from being an Eagle Scout I always wanted to live in the country surrounded by nature, two competing goals TBH. With that it lead me to marrying a country girl whose dad grew up a farmer, moving to the country, being curious about chickens. Now I help with cattle, grow chickens, help my wife with a garden, I build all sots of stuff. I am a very different person now, but the path was not a straight line. lol.