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On Brevity

 If you, by chance go to a recipe site these days, the recipe will start with a story. And then a pointless anecdote and then other recipes and finally deep down is the actual recipe. Some of the not so sadistic recipe sites have a "jump to recipe" button. The reason is probably misplaced incentives. But that does explain it fully. 

While writing a book (as in my own experience) there is a temptation to write and fill pages. But the reader will lose interest. The trick is to keep it short and punchy. This is difficult when the goal is to write x pages or y words. 

In a TED talk - there are so many rambling stories that I find it easier to dive into the transcript, get the core idea and move out. 

I was recently tasked with looking for some good online courses on a platform. There is so much rambling - somehow that is seen as necessary for the course to be seen as something with gravitas. 

Or a podcast. So many of them have so many unrelated anecdotes it is impossible to sit through. 

So, whats the point beyond my ramble. Get to the point. Cut to the chase. Say what you have to say. Use a framework. Everything doesnt have to be a longer lecture, else you will find people finding hacks - like skimming through a book, reading the transcript, watching only the juiciest 8 minutes of your course into the learning path. 

And that makes me think - we really need a better way of organizing and transmitting information perhaps. 

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