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We are a social species. It is to our own benefit; we would still be fishing in the bogs if we couldn't learn from others. A large brain created a tipping point to social learning, producing a fundamental change in the way our species lived and evolved. Now, the challenge is to learn efficiently and effectively.

Intelligence, I have learned, can be overcome a number of ways. It is NOT universal as a means to separate the haves and the have-nots. More important are the patterns of learning that we selectively introduce ourselves to and adopt. One of the most important patterns to get right is the filter of trust in regard to learning.

Certainly, we will meet people whose knowledge - that they will be all-too-willing to transfer to us - will be detrimental to our continued learning. On the other end of the scale, there are people who we should go to great lengths to seek out. If we cannot differentiate these two scenarios, we are at a disadvantage larger than the disadvantage of moderately less intelligence.

Furthermore, quantity of ideas is no substitute for quality. Indeed, quantity is an impediment. The more ideas we assimilate, the more will necessarily be contradictory, and the more time we spent reconciling these ideas. Now, it is no crime to think critically, and reconciliation requires critical thinking; but this process is learned easier than most people think. The process of learning critical thinking does not require, say, 10,000 repetitions - it is just that it takes 10,000 repetitions for an average person, bombarded with ideas both good and bad to wade through, to be world-wise. A person can learn to think critically if they are given a dozen opportunities and have an adequately developed idea of the value of a critical-thinking approach.

It is a wonderful occurrence to discover one or more people who are not only illuminated, but are interested in spreading a greater illumination. For instance, I would never have learned of Atul Gawande - who is as illuminated regarding the American healthcare system as anyone I have learned of - without having known of Charlie Munger. I think that people like these are good people to spend inordinate amounts of time learning from.