* The adult personality - including political views - is forever defined in opposition to one’s natural enemies in high school. * “Civilization advances by extending the number of operations which can be performed without thinking about them.” - Alfred North Whitehead * Researcher Carol Dweck has found that when you praise a student for working hard, it reinforces his identity as an industrious soul. A student in this frame of mind is willing to take on challenging tasks, and to view mistakes as part of the working process. When you praise a student for being smart, on the other hand, it conveys the impression that achievement is an inborn trait. Students in that frame of mind want to continue to appear smart. They’re less likely to try challenging things because they don’t want to make mistakes and appear stupid.
— The social animal - David Brooks
