When the Thing Just Ain’t the Same Thing
Why Enthusiasm Fails and School Curriculums Too
I am a passionate runner. A few days ago, a guy who organizes a local race approached me. He wanted me to join his team and help make the event happen. I politely declined. Why?
Well, mainly because running and organizing a race are not the same thing. They’re two completely different activities. Yes, both revolve around running, but organizing an event requires a different set of skills and tasks. In that sense, organizing a running race is much closer to organizing an art exhibition.
The function of x, mathematically written as f(x), does not equal x.
Many people fail to see this distinction, which is why well-meaning, passionate individuals often take on projects they aren’t suited for. They may have a passion and talent for x, but unless they also possess the skills (and love) for f(x), they will eventually fail or quit.
The biggest confusion between x and f(x) occurs in our schools. Somehow, we assume that reading biology textbooks and answering questions about biology on a sheet of paper equals Biology. It does not. This is a separate activity that involves memorization and contextual recall.
