This programming mantra is applicable to a much wider range of problems -- or rather, proposed solutions -- than just optimization because what it is really saying is, don't try to solve a problem without first understanding what that problem is.
Education reform is lousy with this. There are probably more armchair education reformers than armchair generals, prescribing sweeping changes to our education system based on their own narrow prejudices. I myself am not qualified to diagnose the various problems we face, but I'm pretty sure that most of our proto-innovators are making it out of high school without being soul-crushed into little automatons. If anything, putting in the minimal effort to excel in a boring environment while doing more interesting things in your copious free time -- which is I'm pretty sure how most of us spent K-12 -- is great preparation for doing the same thing in the real world.
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Premature optimization is the root of all evil.
This programming mantra is applicable to a much wider range of problems -- or rather, proposed solutions -- than just optimization because what it is really saying is, don't try to solve a problem without first understanding what that problem is.
Education reform is lousy with this. There are probably more armchair education reformers than armchair generals, prescribing sweeping changes to our education system based on their own narrow prejudices. I myself am not qualified to diagnose the various problems we face, but I'm pretty sure that most of our proto-innovators are making it out of high school without being soul-crushed into little automatons. If anything, putting in the minimal effort to excel in a boring environment while doing more interesting things in your copious free time -- which is I'm pretty sure how most of us spent K-12 -- is great preparation for doing the same thing in the real world.