I`m pretty tolerant, to be honest. If Robert and others want to discuss some topics at depth, even here, I don`t mind in principle. The problem for me is that I find it difficult to ignore a sincere post, because it feels rude to do so if somebody has queries. So, when somebody like Robert queries just about everything, and perhaps overlooks things that I`ve already attempted to explain, or does not seem to get the main point, it becomes a little bit frustrating and exasperating. I really don`t want to turn my back, but at the same time I simply cannot spend hour after hour debating.
Again, I wish Robert would not describe the principles taught by top professionals as "weak" and his own as "mighty". Granted, many of the principles he has published look very useful, but it would not be difficult to quote some of them, and to find instances of "begging the question" and of being vague. I feel, however, no need to attack his work, because I am already satisfied with what the top professionals teach.
cassandra: I'm afraid that you will not reach professional level, but I think that this does not really matter. If you keep on, and work hard, and steadily, you will be able -- may be in a very small, very special field -- to gain insights in the game that are (far) beyond your rank (seen overall). And these insights will give you great personal satisfaction, independent of what your environment thinks (or says) about, especially about the "value" of what you are doing, or have found.
I`m not aiming at professional strength. I will become high dan. However, if you intend to provoke me into proving you wrong, you`re pressing the right buttons!
My insight, I believe, is to realise that an attempt to improve at go could be based on cognitive pyschology. I would like to research this more, and write seriously about it, but at the moment I do not have credibility.
If learning depends on brain plasticity, then there is still hope for people of any age, provided they are not suffering from a terrible degenerative condition. After all, there are reports of people who have suffered terrible injuries and gone on to achieve great things. The brain can change and adapt if the will and effort are present. After all, there are people who have had up to 50% of their brains destroyed by bullet wounds who have gone on to live full and successful lives, people who have lost limbs who have worked out new ways to perform tasks (there are several guitarists who play at a professional standard, despite having
only one hand).
The trouble is, changing your mind requires effort, and the older you become, the harder it can be to tear down what you have constructed and to build again. But if somebody can commit to that effort, or is committed to that effort (by a horrific injury that compels them to change in order to function and succeed), then who knows what heights are possible?
Strangely, my suspicion is that among the people who will find it hardest to learn will be people who are already ackowledged for their expertise or their intelligence. When I was awarded the title "Doctor" over ten years ago, I became arrogant and convinced that I was naturally more expert than others about just about everything. I must have been a real bore. Circumstances have forced me to change over the years, and while it has not exactly been enjoyable, I am truly grateful.
Without naming names, I note that some of the most stubborn people are those who have gained high achievments, in go or other fields, and they will not be persuaded, no matter what. If only they could accept the possibility of being wrong, they might unlock the doors to much better things. The need to be right, the need to be the cleverest person, is the very thing that turns a person`s mind into cast iron, rigid and easy to break.
Anyway, all I can say is that I`m gaining pleasure from my go studies, and that my methods have worked well for other pursuits. Moreover, my methods have worked very well for my language students - lots of exams passed and obvious improvements in listening and fluency.
So, if I have an insight, it is that there is a body of research into how skills are learned, and it could well be worth taking some hours to understand the main points, and to base your go studies on that, rather than common sense.
I have just noticed lemmata`s question. At the moment, I don`t have a go teacher. There is, however, a top amateur living in Hiroshima (his name is Mr Yomo), and he owns a go salon and gives lessons. The only snags are that the location is a bit awkward, and at the moment I`m very busy. Maybe I shall see what he can teach me during my "hardcore" period, if I do decide to do that.
See the corresponding thread appearing soon in the 'suggestions and bugs' forum. If you want to reply to this idea, please do it there.
As you may be aware, Awaji Shuzo also uses percentage figures in a similar fashion in one of his books (Countermeasures to Invasions that Amateurs Don`t Know, which John reviewed in the reviews section). The only quibble, though, is that possibly neither Takagawa nor Awaji intended the figures to be taken literally.