.Introduction. --- .Introduction. This section is an various other thoughts on the introduction to the Paul Nervy Notes. Topics include: (1) Issues. (2) How much will it help. (3) Reasons why people do not write. --- 1/24/2006
.Introduction. --- "Show your work.", is a good motto. --- 2/28/2004
.Introduction. --- "To be or not to be, that is the question", said Shakespeare. "To think or not to think, that is the question", sez me. "To speak or not to speak, that is the question", sez me. "To write or not to write, that is the question", sez me. --- 8/16/2006
.Introduction. --- (1) A lot of people can't do what I do. A lot of people wish they could do what I do. (2) A lot of people won't do what I do. A lot of people refuse to write for no pay. (3) A lot of people can and will do something similar to what I do. There are literally millions of blogs on the Internet. --- 4/25/2006
.Introduction. --- (1) Arguments against the Notes. "Its no good." "No one likes it." "Its a waste of time and energy." (2) Arguments for the Notes. It has some good ideas. Some people like it. Much of the Notes is done in spare moments, so it is not a waste of time. --- 6/8/2002
.Introduction. --- (1) People see what they are able to see in your work. That is, in general, people see what they are able to see. (2) Of that group, people see what they want to see in your work. That is, of what they can see, people choose what to look at and how to interpret it. (3) Thus, the author is able to modify the audience only a little. Change is usually slow. --- 12/4/2002
.Introduction. --- (1) To think of something that no one has thought of before. How can we tell? All we have access to is existing books (i.e., Books in Print). We don't have access to the books of the library of Alexandria which were destroyed in a fire thousands of years ago. We don't have access to the thoughts in people's minds that were never written down. (2) To complicate matters even further, unless you write the exact same words as someone else wrote, in the exact same order, you are not really thinking the exact same thought but rather a subtlety different thought. (3) Perhaps it goes even further. If you are not in the exact same frame of mind, in the exact same physical situation, in the exact same culture and historical situation then you are not thinking the exact same thought. (4) Also, what if somebody says an idea that triggers a thought in someone else. Shouldn't the person get credited with an assist? (5) When everyone's mind is downloaded into digital storage, and every conversation is recorded, we may chance at figuring out who thought of what. Then we can address issues of credit, kudos and plagiarism. --- 7/13/2000
.Introduction. --- (1) What are the notes? A personal information management system. (2) Why do I do the Notes? I create information (ideas). I organize information. I disseminate information. --- 2/3/2004
.Introduction. --- Audience. Ninety percent of people will be either too far above or too far below the audience level of your book. And of the remaining ten percent, nine percent of the people will be too far to the sides. One percent of the public will be on target for your book. --- 10/17/1999
.Introduction. --- Constant chatter. You will be able to hear the voices of texts converted into sound. A talking quotebook. Quotes by subject in the authors voices. --- 2/25/2000
.Introduction. --- Contra Notes. Most people are basically happy. They know what to do without thinking about it. They know how to live automatically. If they make a mistake they do not worry about it. Why make people unhappy with my neurotic obsessions and hang-ups? The counter-argument is that most people do not automatically know how to live, and the Notes are not obsessions and hang-ups. --- 4/29/2001
.Introduction. --- Contra the notes. Am I just a master of the obvious and trivial? --- 09/20/1994
.Introduction. --- Criticism of the Notes. One criticism of the Notes is that they are not a cooperative, communal discussion. In defense, I say that the Notes are a work of art made by one person, not a group effort. Everything does not have to be a group effort. Each person deserves the right to speak their minds as an individual. --- 4/28/2001
.Introduction. --- Critics often read one's work even more closely than one's fans. That's a lot of reading. --- 9/19/2003
.Introduction. --- Current method. Make a melange of ideas in the blender of your mind. Puree. Frappe. Slurry. Shake. Whip. Stir. --- 6/8/2002
.Introduction. --- Demographic hypothetical. Ten percent of people will understand ninety percent of what you say. Eighty percent of people will understand fifty percent of what you say. Ten percent of people will understand ten percent of what you say. --- 6/8/2004
.Introduction. --- FAQ. Question: On what criterion of judgment do you base your claim to be a successful writer? Answer: I write a lot. --- 2/21/2004
.Introduction. --- Focus on problems and solutions, both personal and social, in thought and action. --- 12/28/2006
.Introduction. --- Frequently Asked Questions. Question: Why the numbering of sentences and paragraphs? Answer: The notes are organized by automatic sorting. The computer sorts text by "lines". From the computer's perspective, a "line" is block of text that ends with a "line break" symbol. A computer "line" corresponds to what the human reader views as a "paragraph". So, the computer sorts by paragraphs. If I wrote in traditional paragraph format it would create a problem for automatic sorting. I use numbers and letters in outline format to signal text structures without having to insert line breaks. --- 11/14/2005
.Introduction. --- History of Notes. It may be an exaggeration, but it seems like at first I only wrote single words. Then a few years later I wrote single sentences. Then a few years later I wrote single paragraphs. Then a few years later I wrote multiple paragraphs. --- 12/5/1999
.Introduction. --- How much can people be helped simply by reading words? --- 11/16/2003
.Introduction. --- How much will it help? (1) How much can books help a person? How much can writing books help the writer? How much can reading books help the reader? Many people say that books changed their life. (2) How much can an idea or a thought help a person? Many people say that an idea or a thought changed their life. --- 11/19/2004
.Introduction. --- How much will it help? (1) How much can writing change the world? There are examples of writings that have had a major good effect on the world (ex. US Constitution. Emancipation Proclamation). Other writing have had a major bad effect (ex. Hitler's "Mein Kampf"). Other writings have had little effect either way. (2) How much can my writing change the world for the better? --- 4/8/2004
.Introduction. --- How much will it help? How many people will read your work? Of that, how many people will feel moved to new ideas and emotions from reading your work? --- 6/30/2004
.Introduction. --- I currently am not engaged in physical labor, nor am I raising children, nor am I spending much time in face to face conversations. Thus, if someone asks me what I have to show for my life I can only say a bucket of bits. And that is as frightening as it is exciting. Some people will react to this with pity. "How sad" they will say. Other people will react to it with scorn. "What a fool." they will say. Some people will react with admiration and appreciation. "Way to go, Paul", they will say. --- 7/25/2002
.Introduction. --- Ideal situation. Learn, organize, study, most important truths on most important subjects. Keep it simple, condensed, truthful. --- 12/30/1992
.Introduction. --- Ideal. Practical, effective, efficient (time, money), simple (easy to use), concise, clear, organized, logical, complete, easy to use, unconfused, uncluttered, quick, accurate, short. --- 12/30/1992
.Introduction. --- If I am able to write the Notes, and if I like writing the Notes, then why should my attitude toward the Notes be anything other than good-natured bemusement? Self-importance and pomposity on the part of idea-creators is simply uncalled for. I am serious about the world situation, and I am serious about the power of ideas, however, I am bemused with my muse. --- 6/27/2001
.Introduction. --- Issues. (1) A big problem is most people can't understand the complexity of an effective note system to the point where they'll use it. (2) Most people will not think of enough ideas fast enough to make setting up a note system worth while. The only reason I did is because I don't work? (3) But if you can write a journal, or an indexed journal, you can do this. --- 12/30/1992
.Introduction. --- Issues. (1) Avoid pedantic, minutiae, unimportant ideas, and repeating ideas. (2) Avoid writing unimportant notes and avoid not writing important notes. (3) Avoid not working on it enough and avoid working on it too much. --- 12/30/1992
.Introduction. --- Issues. (1) How is one to reference a work if it's page numbers or web site address is constantly changing? (2) How is one to reference a work if it's content is constantly changing? (ex., constant revision). (3) How is one to work with a person if they are constantly changing their views or if they are constantly changing the subject of a conversation? --- 1/1/2002
.Introduction. --- Issues. (1) Some people, no matter how hard they think, will never figure out a decent idea. Yet these people may be able to find out ideas. Doing Notes would let them record and organize their found ideas. (2) Some people can neither figure nor find out ideas. For these people, doing their own Notes would be a waste of time. But for these people, reading my book might be helpful. (3) Some people wouldn't even benefit from reading my book. These people must be way dumb. Or way smart! --- 12/31/1993
.Introduction. --- Issues. (1) There is no end to writing. You can write eight hours a day for 100 years and only accomplish what amounts to rebuilding a small corner of a small library. (2) There is no end to reading. Let's say you are an author who has written 20 books. Do you really expect anyone to read all your books? Most people today have time to read only one or two of your books at most. (3) So what to do? Use a rating system to rate your ideas. Sort out your highest rated notes and create a "Best of" book. --- 1/1/2002
.Introduction. --- Issues. Coverage issues. (1) Scope and depth. (2) Balance: cover all your bases. (3) Direction, speed, and distance of progress. How far to find and figure on any subject? Which directions go, how far, and why? (4) Getting nowhere slowly vs. going far quickly. (5) Time spent vs. progress made. (6) Timing: when go there (order and timing). (7) Interests vs. gaps. --- 12/30/1992
.Introduction. --- Issues. Dilemmas. (1) No one will find the Notes on the Internet. (2) If they find the Notes, no one will read it. (2) If they read the Notes they will not understand it. (3) If they understand the Notes they will not think it is new, important and true. --- 5/29/2001
.Introduction. --- Issues. Don't leave out important ideas, and don't put in unimportant ideas. --- 12/30/1992
.Introduction. --- Issues. Economic aspects. (1) What resources do you, and should you, put into it? (2) What do you, and should you, get out of it? (3) What else could you be doing? --- 12/30/1992
.Introduction. --- Issues. Economic. (1) How much has all this finding out and figuring out helped me? (2) How much has it cost me (time, money)? (3) How much would it cost/benefit anyone else? --- 12/30/1992
.Introduction. --- Issues. Economic. How much time and effort to put into it? How hard to work at it? --- 12/30/1992
.Introduction. --- Issues. Escapism: use notes to confront reality vs. escape reality. --- 12/30/1992
.Introduction. --- Issues. Finding (reading) vs. figuring (thinking). (1) Too much figuring, and not enough finding. Poor critical reading skills. Poor research skills. (2) Too much finding, and not enough figuring. No creativity. No exercise of own mind. --- 12/30/1992
.Introduction. --- Issues. Finding vs. figuring. (1) Imbalances in the ratio of figuring out vs. finding out. Excess or lack of either. (2) When to write down an idea and not? (3) What notes to take on what books, and how organize them? (4) Books (finding out) vs. notes (figuring out), when to do it rather than some other thing. (5) How often to review notes, review books? (6)(A) What and how much to find out (read); whether it be new reading or re-reading (reviewing and studying), vs. (B) what and how much to figure out (think on own)? (7) Learning (new) vs. studying and reviewing (old). --- 12/30/1992
.Introduction. --- Issues. If you write your notes, and if your ideas are evolving, then you will reach a point where you look back and your old notes will seem idiotic to you and other advanced people. So then you might wonder why you write if your old notes seem idiotic. But this is really a sign of progress, and writing notes helped your ideas advance and let you recognize your old ideas were not optimal. Theoretically. --- 03/31/1997
.Introduction. --- Issues. Motivation. How to best motivate oneself to do notes (see psychology, motivation)? (1) Go over goals before and after sessions. (2) Listen to music. --- 12/30/1992
.Introduction. --- Issues. Organization. (1) Notes too spread out vs. not spread out enough. Both can cause trouble finding and abstracting. (2) Misfiling in wrong category. --- 12/30/1992
.Introduction. --- Issues. Quantity vs. quality. Decrease in both due to no energy, no time, old age, low drive, or mental limits reached. --- 12/30/1992
.Introduction. --- Issues. Questions: (1) What include? (2) How structure it? (3) What order to do it? --- 12/30/1992
.Introduction. --- Issues. Reasons for decline in quality and amount of output of notes. (1) Creative juices drying up. (2) Work and school taking my time and energy. (3) Figured out all the easy stuff and wrote it down quickly, only the tough stuff remains. (4) Figured out most of my personal problems, which is what I was writing about. Things that actually (physically), or just theoretically bugged me. (5) Figured out the stuff I was interested in. --- 12/30/1995
.Introduction. --- Issues. Two editing mistakes: taking out the good, and leaving in the bad. --- 09/01/1994
.Introduction. --- Issues. Volume problems. (1) It is a lot to do, and it is a lot to study. (2) How much can I think of, write, study and memorize? (3) Too much notes vs. not enough notes. (4) How big will it get? How big to let it get? How often work on it? What ideas to include? --- 12/30/1992
.Introduction. --- Lame reasons why people do not think, write and publish. (1) The mistaken view that a person is not good enough to think, write and publish. (2) The mistaken view that it has no effect, or that it does no good, to think write and publish. --- 1/9/2006
.Introduction. --- Lame reasons why people do not think, write and publish. (1) Too busy with raising kids to take time to think, write and publish. (2) Too busy with job to take time to think, write and publish. (3) Too busy with having fun to take time to think, write and publish. --- 1/9/2006
.Introduction. --- Lame reasons why people do not think, write and publish. (1) When a person begins thinking and writing, it can be very emotionally painful for a person to recognize all the time they wasted in their life. These feelings are temporary. Its not too early, and it not too late, to start writing. (2) Thinking is difficult. Thinking takes time and effort. Thinking is hard work. (3) Social blow back. --- 4/25/2006
.Introduction. --- Lame reasons why people do not think, write and publish. Sadness, anger, and anxiety. When you begin looking at everything, it can be a little overwhelming, and you may experience feelings of sadness, anger and anxiety. These feelings are temporary. Do not let these feelings stop you from writing. Work through and past these feelings. You will feel good later. --- 4/16/2006
.Introduction. --- Lame reasons why people do not want to think, write or publish. (1) Reasons why people do not want to think. Thinking can be hard work. Thinking can be emotionally painful. Thinking can lead to mistakes. Thinking can be frustrating. Thinking may lead to change. (2) Reasons why people do not want to write. Writing takes time and energy. (3) Reasons why people do not want to publish. (A) Sometimes people are afraid to say what they think. Afraid of being mocked. Afraid of being attacked. Afraid of public humiliation. (B) Sometimes people are afraid to give the competition (i.e. Anyone other than themselves) an edge by revealing knowledge. Afraid to give the enemy an edge by revealing knowledge (i.e. Some hyper-combative people view anyone other than themselves as the enemy). --- 1/22/2004
.Introduction. --- Lame reasons why people do not write. (1) They have nothing to say. (2) They think they have nothing to say. (3) They feel foolish or embarrassed of the writing process, or about what they have written. (4) Fear of failure. --- 10/05/1997
.Introduction. --- Lame reasons why people do not write. (1) They say there is nothing to write about. Nothing going on in here in their mind. Nothing going on out there in front of their face. They see nothing, they hear nothing, they say nothing. (2) They say its all personal. Its all private. Nothing public. (3) They fear saying it. (4) They say they are too busy. (5) They say who are they to write. They say they are nobody. --- 7/1/2000
.Introduction. --- Lame reasons why people do not write. A major reason people do not write is that they are repressed. Repression keeps them from remembering, feeling, thinking, acting, and writing. Freud's theory of repression is true and important. --- 10/25/1997
.Introduction. --- Lame reasons why people do not write. Anti-writing attitudes. (1) Afraid of being mocked by other people. (2) Afraid of being attacked by other people. (3) Afraid of aiding the competition in the quest for jobs, women, etc. (4) Afraid of aiding the enemy. Afraid of tipping off one's intellectual opponents. (5) Belief in competition to the point of Social Darwinism. Where one is afraid to give away any of one's knowledge. And thus one attempts to create secret knowledge. --- 1/17/2004
.Introduction. --- Lame reasons why people do not write. Doing Notes can cause health. Not doing Notes can cause forgetfulness, aimlessness, and pathological conditions. There are psychological forces driving us not to do Notes: (1) I do not want to confront painful ideas, emotions, and memories. (2) I just want to have fun and, and notes take effort. (3) I do not want to change. I am fine the way I am now. Personality inertia. (4) Thinking that its too early to start, or that its too late to start. --- 02/05/1998
.Introduction. --- Lame reasons why people do not write. Fear of writing. If I take the attitude that I write to try to prove myself right, or them wrong, then I become afraid that, by writing, I will learn they are right, and they will convert me, and suck me in to their world and ways. The rents, their views, and the system. So I don't write. And I end up with no foundation. I end up not creating myself as different from them, and thus end up as them. --- 04/10/1997
.Introduction. --- Lame reasons why people do not write. Fear. Some people fear thinking. Some people fear thinking because they fear the ideas that a person may potentially think of. --- 5/14/2007
.Introduction. --- Lame reasons why people do not write. Fears. My fears in writing Notes, substantiated or unsubstantiated. (1) Afraid to appear or realize I am crazy or stupid. (2) Waste of much time, mediocre fluff, not helpful. (3) Not powerful, simple (moronic content), obvious. (4) Pedantic, unoriginal, not new, unimportant, unsellable. --- 12/30/1992
.Introduction. --- Lame reasons why people do not write. Many people do not write because they say "I have nothing to say". What they mean is that they can only think of simple obvious truths. However, if these people are anything like myself, then the following is the case: (1) The mind tends to address the simple before the complex. Thus, the first writing one does will be very simple. Do not let this fact throw you or discourage you. The complex will come later. (2) Ideas on a subject often come years apart. Do not quit after a week. Be in it for the long haul. Be patient. Keep thinking. (3) If the above two ideas are kept in mind, one will be less likely to give up on their notes. --- 6/19/1999
.Introduction. --- Lame reasons why people do not write. One reason people might not want to publish their history and goals is because they don't want others to know who they are and what they plan to do because their ideological opponents may try to block them. --- 1/23/2004
.Introduction. --- Lame reasons why people do not write. Two cynical arguments against writing web pages. (1) If you are trying to help people by posting a web page, you will only reach people who either have a computer or who have access to a computer, and some people would argue that anyone who has a computer or access to a computer doesn't need your help. (2) If you are trying to help people by writing a book, you will only reach people who can read, and some people would argue that anyone who can read doesn't need your help. (3) Of course, some people will have a tendency towards cynicism, and their cynicism should not prevent you from writing your web page. --- 8/20/2004
.Introduction. --- Lame reasons why people do not write. What prevents some people from thinking, speaking, writing and acting? (1) They are lazy and apathetic. (2) They are interested only in their own personal comfort. (3) They feel its hopeless. (4) They fear losing their jobs. (5) They fear attacks by bullies and ruthless opposition. --- 2/28/2004
.Introduction. --- Lame reasons why people do not write. Why people don't write and publish on the Internet. (1) They think thoughts like, "What if my information is read by my enemies and it helps them? Why help my enemies? This is extreme "us vs. them" thinking. (2) They think thoughts like, "Its embarrassing to reveal my level of knowledge, which is also my level of ignorance." --- 1/3/2004
.Introduction. --- Lame reasons why people don't think, write or publish. (1) People do not publish because they are afraid to appear stupid to others. (2) People do not write because they are afraid to feel stupid to themselves. (3) People do not write because they think it will not help. (4) People do not think because the results are not instantaneous. (5) People do not think, write and publish because they are afraid of being mocked and ostracized. (6) People do not think, write and publish because they are afraid of losing their jobs. (7) People do not think and write because it is difficult and time consuming. --- 2/15/2005
.Introduction. --- Lame reasons why people don't write. Some people hold the following suboptimal attitudes. "If no one pays me then I will not think." "If no one pays me then I will not write." "If no one pays me then I will not publish". --- 4/1/2005
.Introduction. --- Most important ideas about the Notes. I would like to see everyone doing life-long, self-directed learning. I would like to see everyone writing their thoughts. --- 4/30/2007
.Introduction. --- My book. People either immediately "get it", smile and buy it, or else they do not "get it", look confused and walk away. --- 10/20/1999
.Introduction. --- My goal is not to have my writing style adopted by academia as the only writing style. My goal is not to write in the style of academia. My goal is to develop new and useful ideas about information management that are new and useful enough to be discussed in academic circles and quoted by academics. That is how artists get noticed by academics. That is how artists get into academia. I want to be a teaching artist. --- 1/1/2002
.Introduction. --- Now that I have solved some problems and improved my life, I am starting to feel calm, settled, peaceful, happy, and bored. But it was confronting problems and searching for solutions that spurred my writing output. Now I must imagine other people's problems. I do not want to create more problems for myself unnecessarily. --- 12/20/1998
.Introduction. --- Objections of the critics and my counter-arguments. Critics will sometimes argue, or simply mock, the following objections. (1) Simplicity or incompleteness. (A) Critics will argue, "This document is too simple; it is only an outline or introduction to subject x." (B) Counter-argument: Its only a start. It may be expanded later on. I don't claim to be an expert about everything. (2) Falseness, inaccuracies, mistakes. (A) Critics will argue, "Some statements in this work are factually false. There are some mistakes like bad grammar or spelling errors. Its not 100% right." They argue that therefore the entire document is invalid. (B) Counter-argument. Its not perfect. Nothing is perfect. There are many good parts. (3) Unoriginal. (A) Critics might object that some other people have thought of similar thoughts. (B) Counter-argument: I didn't think of everything in this world. (4) Unpopular. (A) Critics may argue that the work is not popular. (B) Counter-argument: it has its audience. (5) Not lucrative. (A) Critics may argue that it is not a money maker. It has little monetary value. (B) Counter-argument: it still has value. (6) Time and energy. (A) Critics may say, "Its a waste of time. Why don't you give up". (B) Counter-argument: its not a waste of time. --- 1/4/2004
.Introduction. --- Objections. (1) Objection: You cannot think of everything. That is, you cannot think of everything that has ever been thought by everybody. Reply: That is not my goal. (2) Objection: You cannot think of every subject. Reply: You would be surprised of all the many things you can think. (3) Objection: What is the use of all this thinking? Reply: It helps keep my head on straight. (4) What is it going to do for me (meaning you)? Reply: The question is not what are my thoughts going to do for you. The question is what is a thought going to do for you. Any thought. --- 4/28/2005
.Introduction. --- Objections. One argument against writing is the following, "How do you know what effect your work will have on others? You could hurt them just as easily as help them. Don't be so sure you know what is true and good". The counter argument is that I am not claiming to know 100% what is true and good. We are just discussing ideas. It would be worse to stifle the discussion. --- 1/6/2002
.Introduction. --- Objections. One objection academia has to my work is, "How do you really expect to add to human knowledge by recording stray thoughts on a subject without thoroughly researching a subject and becoming an expert on a subject through years of study? My response to that objection is to say that my contribution to human knowledge is to develop new mental techniques that help us deal with information. To develop new written techniques of information management. To develop new computerized methods of information management. In sum, to develop new ways of thinking about information management. The ideas in the Notes are just a byproduct of my contribution. The Notes are just an example of my area of study. --- 1/1/2002
.Introduction. --- Paul's complaint: "Why do I have to do everything?!" --- 3/15/2007
.Introduction. --- Pay vs. free. How many people will you reach if you distribute your work for pay versus free of charge? --- 6/30/2004
.Introduction. --- Productivity measures. (1) Number of ideas you produce in x time, times average rating of ideas (ratings summed and divided by number of ideas), gives the quantity times quality of your work. --- 01/01/1993
.Introduction. --- Productivity. 90% of everything is crap. 90% of people crap out. 90% of my writing is crap. If only 90% of my writing is crap then super. --- 12/30/1996
.Introduction. --- Questions. (1) Now that is on the web, is Paul Nervy Notes helping me, Paul Nervy, more than it is helping others? (2) In what ways and how much has Paul Nervy Notes helped me? (to write it and to read it). (3) In what ways and how much has it helped other people? Many people read small sections of it. Many people see the main page of the Notes and intuitively get the idea of the Notes. --- 1/14/2002
.Introduction. --- Short forms are like modular components. You mix and match them to create your own applications. --- 6/8/2001
.Introduction. --- Short forms are like nano-technology. They get in there and work undetected. --- 6/8/2001
.Introduction. --- Short forms. A problem with academia is that they don't give the short idea its due. If an academic can not write five pages on an idea, then they consider that idea worthless. However, longer is not always better. The Notes respect the short idea. --- 6/30/1999
.Introduction. --- Short forms. Psychologists have determined that people memorize and think in short chunks. Examples of this phenomena include the syllogism in logic, the paragraph in literature, and the way people highlight short excerpts when studying textbooks. The Notebooks are composed on the same basic principle, by using paragraph length notes arranged by keywords. --- 3/25/1999
.Introduction. --- Short forms. Television commercials are another short form. (1) Often the commercials are better than the shows. (2) Commercials have had an influence on the other arts. For example, micro-fiction in literature. (3) Short forms are perfect for this age of information-overload when shorter is better. --- 8/6/2000
.Introduction. --- Short forms. The one page magazine ad. The bus stop poster. The billboard. They are all similar in that they combine word and image. --- 7/11/2001
.Introduction. --- The goal is to get people thinking, thinking about everything, and thinking about the most important issues, and then get people to write down what they think, and then give people the tools to manage their written information. --- 4/30/2007
.Introduction. --- The Notes method is a personal information management system. The more efficiently you can generate ideas, gather ideas, organize ideas, and disseminate ideas, the more productive and effective you will be at forming your goals and reaching your goals. My goals include Progressive activism, personal creativity, and general knowledge. Some people use a blog as a personal information system, but I do not find a blog especially compelling for several reasons. Some people use a personal wiki. I prefer the Notes method which is essentially a sorted tab-delimited text file. --- 5/1/2007
.Introduction. --- The Notes table of contents might look like a hierarchical classification but it is not. It is a web, with the table of contents as a hub, and with subjects radiating out in all directions, and sub-subjects radiating out from the subjects. The subjects are interconnected via the "related subjects " notes and also via the "see also" notes. The "see also" notes function in effect as hyperlinks. A hyperlink is in essentially an active cross-reference. --- 1/1/2002
.Introduction. --- The punk rocker addresses the topic "Criticism of My Work by Others": (1) To my critics I say forget you. All I want to hear is your praise and thanks. There is too much pain and effort in my work to listen to your nit-picking. If someone thinks badly of my work, then beyond saying "That is your opinion", all I can say is "Who cares what you think. Forget you." Every criticism is a personal attack. They are trying to destroy the real you. If they do not like it, then too freaking bad. No mercy for critics. Deaf to critics. I invite all critics to leave immediately. Get the hell out of here. Hit the road. Warning: all criticism will be taken as a personal attack. (2) I do not have to defend anything. I do not have to prove anything. Whatever you get out of my work is your problem. --- 4/12/1999
.Introduction. --- The tombstones stand mute in the graveyard. Up till now there has been a technologically imposed silence, which has led to a socially imposed silence. Before the Internet most people did not have the means to publish their ideas for the masses. This led to an unconscious social attitude, "Why bother writing?" Up till recently individuals were gypped by not having their say, and society was gypped by not having the say of individuals. Today, with the Internet, we are able to have our say. We can post our ideas for all to read. (2)(A) Everyone deserves their say. Everyone deserves to be heard. Even after they are dead. It is your right. (B) Everyone's say is needed. Society needs everyone's say. Everyone has an obligation to society to say. (3) A true democracy through space and time, of the living and the dead. This is the future. Talking tombstones. --- 2/25/2000
.Introduction. --- This is the fun. This is the challenge. (1) To see what ideas the author has thought of that you have thought of too. (2) To see what ideas the author has thought of that you have not thought. (3) To see what ideas you have thought of that the author has not. (4) To see where you and the author agree and disagree. --- 1/1/2000
.Introduction. --- Three questions. (1) Why think? Its fun. Create new ideas for progress. (2) Why write? To record what one thinks. (3) Why self publish on the Internet? To share one's thoughts. --- 1/23/2004
.Introduction. --- Title page. Disclaimer. All ideas subject to revision. Author reserves the right to change his mind. --- 01/07/1997
.Introduction. --- Title page. Disclaimer. This is not the last word of truth on any subject. Nor may these be the most important truths on any subject. 2/12/91. --- 12/30/1992
.Introduction. --- Typical objections to the Notes. (1) Objection: One person cannot know everything. Counter-argument: I am not trying to know everything. Learning is fun and useful. I am learning. (2) Objection: Why not spend your time either making more money, or eating, or sleeping, or socializing. Counter-argument: that can get boring after a while. (3) Why bother? Its fun. Its ethical. Its useful. It helps. --- 3/13/2007
.Introduction. --- What does it takes to do Notes? (1) The ability to direct your mind to a subject and focus on a subject. (2) The ability to take a guess. (3) The ability to think critically about the guess you take. --- 10/25/2001
.Introduction. --- Why I include the obvious or the low quality in my Notes. I include it all. It is important to give it all. Give them the big picture. All subjects regardless of quality of thinking. Cannot be ashamed to say, "This is all I thought of on this subject". The reader wants a complete picture of the author as much as they want your best work. You get my best and worst. You get all of the Notes. --- 11/18/1998