Doe Quote by John Carmack
“An interesting question: is it easier to motivate a learned individual that never does anything, or educate an ignorant individual that actually produces things?”
About This Quote
Source Interview: Game Developers Conference, 2015
Motivation differs: a passive expert may lack drive, while an active novice can be guided.
In simple terms: Passive experts need spark; active novices need guidance.
Key Takeaway
Tailor motivation to the learner's state.
Themes
education
motivation
learning
Mood
inquisitive
pragmatic
Type
educational
motivational
When to use this quote
- training programs
- mentorship
- skill building
- team projects
Key Concepts
intrinsic vs extrinsic motivation
expertise development
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you inspire a complacent expert?
- What support does an active novice need?
A Different Perspective
Experts may resist change despite incentives.
![“Such an act [testifying for an accused prison guard of the Shah's regime] can only be accomplished by someone who is engrossed in literature, has learned that every individual has different dimensions to his personality… Those who judge must take all aspects of an individual's personality into…” quote by Azar Nafisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e57/azar-nafisi-2001_books_such-an-act-testifying-for-an-accused-pr_74846.jpg)
![“They [the teachers at European conservatories] taught us because they wanted to pass the knowledge on and educate young musicians. It was not because they had to teach because they failed as musicians. There is a huge difference in the reasons why someone is teaching and what they can offer and…” quote by Miroslav Vitous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/9d1/miroslav-vitous-24266_conservatory_they-the-teachers-at-european-conservato_25455.jpg)
![“In the information age, the barriers [to entry into programming] just aren't there. The barriers are self imposed. If you want to set off and go develop some grand new thing, you don't need millions of dollars of capitalization. You need enough pizza and Diet Coke to stick in your refrigerator, a…” quote by John Carmack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/20a/john-carmack-15030_age_in-the-information-age-the-barriers-to-e_315133.jpg)
![“I really think, if anything, there is more evidence to show that the violent games reduce aggression and violence. There have actually been some studies about that, that it's cathartic. If you go to QuakeCon and you walk by and you see the people there [and compare that to] a random cross section…” quote by John Carmack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/4d6/john-carmack-15030_aggression_i-really-think-if-anything-there-is-more_569921.jpg)
