This is a good criticism. I’m more aware of the Typical Mind Fallacy than most people because I’ve switched modes of thinking several times—I’m not currently a visual thinker. I don’t think people are good at visualizing, I think they’re bad at numbers. I’m a mathematician, and I think other mathematicians I’ve met are generally bad with numbers. I also tried to make clear that this suffered from high uncertainty via the keywords “I think”.
I don’t read Discussion any more, but I found it the contents similar to the old monthly discussion threads I read religiously. I posted things to those; I thought this merited a top-level post. I try to keep a very concise style, and I think top-level posts can (and should be) short on occasion.
and I think other mathematicians I’ve met are generally bad with numbers
Let me add another data point to your analysis: I’m a mathematician, and a visual thinker. I’m not particularly “good with numbers”, in the sense that if someone says “1000 km” I have to translate that to “the size of France” before I can continue the conversation. Similarly with other units. So I think this technique might work well for me.
This is a good criticism. I’m more aware of the Typical Mind Fallacy than most people because I’ve switched modes of thinking several times—I’m not currently a visual thinker. I don’t think people are good at visualizing, I think they’re bad at numbers. I’m a mathematician, and I think other mathematicians I’ve met are generally bad with numbers. I also tried to make clear that this suffered from high uncertainty via the keywords “I think”.
I don’t read Discussion any more, but I found it the contents similar to the old monthly discussion threads I read religiously. I posted things to those; I thought this merited a top-level post. I try to keep a very concise style, and I think top-level posts can (and should be) short on occasion.
Let me add another data point to your analysis: I’m a mathematician, and a visual thinker. I’m not particularly “good with numbers”, in the sense that if someone says “1000 km” I have to translate that to “the size of France” before I can continue the conversation. Similarly with other units. So I think this technique might work well for me.
I do know my times tables though.