Ask HN: What to do when nothing makes sense? - notoriousarun
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totetsu
In a conversation, Nod and smile and give backchannel responses that make it
seem like I do, and wait until the person speaking says something I do
understand, to give context to everything before it, and then make an educated
guess to what they were talking about.

In IT, look up every word in the man page I don't understand, and then every
word in the definitions of those words, and so on, until I understand the
basics of the systems and protocols underlying what I am working on, and then
build back up from there.

In life, play something like a holy fool [0], and accept that things don't
need to make sense for me to be okay.[1] Also that the sense that things don't
make sense, could just be a feeling made by trying to cling to a framework of
knowledge that is showing its limitations, and needs to be expanded or left
behind. Also know that my sleep, diet, physical activity, all play a big role
in my sense of mental clarity, and try to keep to good habits.

As a human being, get away from other human beings, into someplace green and
let direct observation of the billions of years in the making natural world,
and my self as a natural thing make all the sense that is needed.

[0]
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foolishness_for_Christ#:~:text...](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foolishness_for_Christ#:~:text=The%20Holy%20Fool%20or%20yur%C3%B3divyy,in%20the%20eyes%20of%20men).
[1]
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acceptance_and_commitment_ther...](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acceptance_and_commitment_therapy)

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h302
Take a look at the attention manifesto:

[https://twitter.com/grantdraws/status/1278349092733755392/ph...](https://twitter.com/grantdraws/status/1278349092733755392/photo/1)

[https://twitter.com/grantdraws/status/1278349092733755392/ph...](https://twitter.com/grantdraws/status/1278349092733755392/photo/2)

[https://twitter.com/grantdraws/status/1278349092733755392/ph...](https://twitter.com/grantdraws/status/1278349092733755392/photo/3)

Hope it helps

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coderintherye
Accept the nonsense.

Then stop doing anything which makes you unhappy and seek that which brings
you joy.

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anigbrowl
Drink orange juice, the vitamin boost and sugar will help your cognition.

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Shared404
3\. Hide steps one and two.

In an actual answer:

For hard science, do as totetsu said for IT. start where you don't understand,
look up words, and work backwards until you have enough of a basis to
understand.

For anything else, I'm afraid I'm not much help.

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kleer001
In what context?

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alimw
Beats me.

