I Like The Direction This Is Going In, But I Think It’s Missing Some Nuance.

“Strangely, treating knowledge as an end in itself reaps the kind of practical rewards that valuing merely instrumental knowledge may struggle to produce.”

- from “How We Lost Our Focus (and why it should scare you)” by Unsolicited advice (https://youtu.be/oxJkj-C4vjs)

Honestly it is my opinion that knowledge and learning and thinking and all that they entail are valuable in and of themselves: that is to say I take the original poster’s idea a step farther and value ‘useless degrees’ even if they are objectively useless from a practical sense. For me knowledge is an end unto itself, valuable because it is and not because of what it might do.

It’s also worth noting that a lot of very valuable math with a lot of practical applications now started out this way: as purely abstract and only valuable in and of itself. So it seems to me that this perspective doesn’t harm applying the concepts in the long term, but actually helps it.

It seems to be the case that by only chasing what is immediately useful we will miss vast amounts of information and thoughts and development that will become useful or even needed later down the line.

Beeeeeesssss!!!!

Shallan and Adolin in Oathbringer and onward is just true relationship goals. Like this excerpt from Oathbringer is so heartwarming:

“Oh? And is that what women are supposed to seek in a mate? Is it in the Polite Lady’s Handbook to Courtship and Family? The Bekenah edition, maybe? ‘Ladies, you can’t possibly marry a man if he can’t fly.’ Never mind if the other option is as handsome as sin, kind to everyone he meets regardless of their station, passionate about his art, and genuinely humble in the weirdest, most confident way. Never mind if he actually seems to get you, and remarkably listens to your problems, encouraging you to be you—not to hide yourself away. Never mind if being near him makes you want to rip his shirt off and push him into the nearest alleyway, then kiss him until he can’t breathe anymore. If he can’t fly, then well, you just have to call it off!”

She paused for breath, gasping.

“And…” Adolin said. “That guy is … me?”

“You are such a fool.” She grabbed his ripped coat and pulled him into a kiss, passionspren crystallizing in the air around them. The warmth of the kiss did more for her than the tea ever could. It made her bubble and boil inside. Stormlight was nice, but this … this was an energy that made it dun by comparison.

Storms, she loved this man.

When she let him out of the kiss, he grabbed her and pulled her close, breathing heavily.

“Are you … are you sure?” he asked. “I just … Don’t glare at me, Shallan. I have to say this. The world is full of gods and Heralds now, and you’re one of them. I’m practically a nobody. I’m not used to that feeling.”

“Then it’s probably the best thing that’s ever happened to you, Adolin Kholin. Well. Except for me.” She snuggled against him. “I will admit to you, in the interest of full honesty, that Veil did have a tendency to fawn over Kaladin Stormblessed. She has terrible taste in men, and I’ve convinced her to fall in line.”

“That’s worrisome, Shallan.”

“I won’t let her act on it. I promise.”

“I didn’t mean that,” Adolin said. “I meant … you, Shallan. Becoming other people.”

“We’re all different people at different times. Remember?”

“Not the same way as you.”

“I know,” she said. “But I … I think I’ve stopped leaking into new personas. Three for now.” She turned around, smiling at him, his hands still around her waist. “How do you like that, though? Three betrotheds instead of one. Some men drool over the idea of such debauchery. If you wanted, I could be practically anyone.”

“But that’s the thing, Shallan. I don’t want anyone. I want you.”

“That might be the hardest one. But I think I can do it, Adolin. With some help, maybe?”

He grinned that goofy grin of his. Storms, how could his hair look so good with gravel in it? “So…” he said. “You mentioned something about kissing me until I can’t breathe. But here I am, not even winded—”

He cut off as she kissed him again.

Like, if that's not one of the most well developed scenes between Shallan and Adolin, I don't know what is. It's the best kind of fantasy love when a partner declines a literal person who can FLY, just to stick with their "normal" partner. The moral of the story: love, true love, doesn't care whether one has wealth or power. Love cares for the personality.

shout out to everyone who participated in the january-february mass depressive episode

It really hurt when Hoid respawned after being vaporized and immediately frantically wanted to go back. He's been such a strange character in these 5 books. I've never been able to unhear him saying he'd let Roshar burn before he let Odium free (presuming that is what he meant), but when push came to shove even he admitted that he didn't know if he could do that. He loves that world. He loves the people on it. He didn't want to return because he thought he actually had a chance at stopping Retribution, he wanted to return because people he loved were there and he didn't want them to suffer alone.

It's only after he realizes that Roshar actually has a genuine chance at winning that he stays where he is. Because Dalinar did something wonderful and frightening and brilliant, and Hoid can use that.

He can do more to help by influencing the other worlds to grow in the ways they need to, and trying to convince the other Shards to listen. And so when he does come back to the place and the people he loves, he will be prepared to help them win.

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Amazing poetry!

It's quiet by the firepit,

The pops and the crackles,

making the conversation.

The flames lick the wood,

the smoke, an annoyance I

try to avoid.

But that's where we connect.

You crack jokes,

(really, really bad jokes)

and I laugh,

because just the sound of

your voice,

your laugh, your smile,

Fills me with joy.

The little things, they

are what I long for,

what I truly want.

I want to know your favorite

color, song, food, car.

I want to know

how you take your coffee,

what you think of berfore bed

what your goals are for life.

But most of all,

I want to see how you see

me.

I catch your gaze across the

fire the light and mirth

in your beautiful eyes

reflecting the devoted falmes.

This is nice.

I smile; you smile back.

My stomach flies away,

Along with my heart, and I think,

Love is quiet, like the firepit.

That is absolutely hilarious!!!