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← The mediocre is the only thing worth avoiding: the best and the worst…
17 connected korrents · 17 moments on record from 12 Feb 2010 to 19 Aug 2026.
Everything filed under taste
taste
Everything filed under AI and human skill
AI and human skill
Everything filed under design
design
Everything filed under writing
writing Same subject Same subject Same subject Same subject Same subject Same subject Same subject Same subject Same subject Same subject Same subject Same subject Same subject Same subject Same subject Same subject Same subject Read this korrent: The mediocre is the only thing worth avoiding: the best and the worst both teach you something, the middle teaches nothing. The mediocre is the only thing worth avoiding: the best and the worst both teach you something, the middle teaches nothing. Last stated 3 years ago
7 Sept 2023
AK
Austin Kleon — holds since 2023-09-07 — tap for who they are
Same subject: The middle ground in writing disappears: what is left is good writers and people who cannot write, with no ok writers in between. — tap to centre the map on it The middle ground in writing disappears: what is left is good writers and people who cannot write, with no ok writers in between. Last stated 2 years ago
1 Oct 2024
PG
Paul Graham — holds since 2024-10-01 — tap for who they are
Same subject: Writing on a schedule is worth less than only publishing what is the best you can do, even if that means one post a year. — tap to centre the map on it Writing on a schedule is worth less than only publishing what is the best you can do, even if that means one post a year. Last stated 7 months ago
25 Jan 2026
JC
Jason Cohen — holds since 2026-01-25 — tap for who they are
Same subject: Reviewers can tell the obviously good from the obviously bad, but there is a messy middle where they cannot tell at all. — tap to centre the map on it Reviewers can tell the obviously good from the obviously bad, but there is a messy middle where they cannot tell at all. Last stated 6 years ago
20 Jan 2021
JR
José Luis Ricón — holds since 2021-01-20 — tap for who they are
Same subject: A first draft should not be graded good or bad; it is only the material that taste then gets to act on. — tap to centre the map on it A first draft should not be graded good or bad; it is only the material that taste then gets to act on. Last stated a month ago
6 Aug 2026
GS
George Saunders — holds since 2026-08-06 — tap for who they are
Same subject: Reading bad work is instructive as well as reassuring, so a maker should not read only the good stuff. — tap to centre the map on it Reading bad work is instructive as well as reassuring, so a maker should not read only the good stuff. Last stated 3 years ago
7 Sept 2023
AK
Austin Kleon — holds since 2023-09-07 — tap for who they are
Same subject: A first draft is necessarily bad, and that is exactly why one has to be written. — tap to centre the map on it A first draft is necessarily bad, and that is exactly why one has to be written. Last stated 4 years ago
12 Oct 2022
AK
Austin Kleon — holds since 2022-10-12 — tap for who they are
Same subject: The best sign that a subject is worth writing about is that you are interested in it and nobody else is. — tap to centre the map on it The best sign that a subject is worth writing about is that you are interested in it and nobody else is. Last stated 9 months ago
15 Dec 2025
ML
Michael Lewis — holds since 2025-12-15 — tap for who they are
Same subject: The material that teaches people how to program is overwhelmingly bad, because the programmers who know how to do it well rarely think it is worth writing down. — tap to centre the map on it The material that teaches people how to program is overwhelmingly bad, because the programmers who know how to do it well rarely think it is worth writing down. Last stated 12 years ago
28 May 2014
CM
Casey Muratori — holds since 2014-05-28 — tap for who they are
Same subject: A lot of people can match a framework for taste; almost nobody can create one, and creating one is the rare skill. — tap to centre the map on it A lot of people can match a framework for taste; almost nobody can create one, and creating one is the rare skill. Last stated 11 months ago
16 Oct 2025
DF
Dylan Field — holds since 2025-10-16 — tap for who they are
Same subject: A product needs a soul, and for that it needs one person of great taste who is its living, breathing aspect and gets furious about every small detail. — tap to centre the map on it A product needs a soul, and for that it needs one person of great taste who is its living, breathing aspect and gets furious about every small detail. Last stated 17 years ago
12 Feb 2010
KS
Karri Saarinen — holds since 2010-02-12 — tap for who they are
Same subject: Aesthetics is truth: when something is beautiful it is likely to be correct, in code as in mathematics and physics. — tap to centre the map on it Aesthetics is truth: when something is beautiful it is likely to be correct, in code as in mathematics and physics. Last stated 5 months ago
8 Apr 2026
DH
David Heinemeier Hansson — holds since 2026-04-08 — tap for who they are
Same subject: AI can be a shortcut around thinking or a way of thinking more rigorously, and for your core job function only the second one is wanted. — tap to centre the map on it AI can be a shortcut around thinking or a way of thinking more rigorously, and for your core job function only the second one is wanted. Last stated 4 weeks ago
12 Aug 2026
CM
Charity Majors — holds since 2026-08-12 — tap for who they are
Same subject: AI should be treated as an instrument to play rather than a tool to use, because there is no purpose to better machines if they do not also produce better humans. — tap to centre the map on it AI should be treated as an instrument to play rather than a tool to use, because there is no purpose to better machines if they do not also produce better humans. Last stated 11 months ago
20 Oct 2025
FC
Frank Chimero — holds since 2025-10-20 — tap for who they are
Same subject: Heavy AI use erodes understanding first and judgement second: cognitive debt turns into cognitive surrender, where the model's answer simply becomes your answer. — tap to centre the map on it Heavy AI use erodes understanding first and judgement second: cognitive debt turns into cognitive surrender, where the model's answer simply becomes your answer. Last stated 3 weeks ago
19 Aug 2026
AO
Addy Osmani — holds since 2026-08-19 — tap for who they are
Same subject: A blank chat box is lazy: it violates the first rule of a good user experience, that it is obvious what you can do. — tap to centre the map on it A blank chat box is lazy: it violates the first rule of a good user experience, that it is obvious what you can do. Last stated a year ago
12 May 2025
JZ
Julie Zhuo — holds since 2025-05-12 — tap for who they are
Same subject: A company deserves everyone in it, the chief executive included, to spend as much time as possible in their zone of genius — which is an org design problem. — tap to centre the map on it A company deserves everyone in it, the chief executive included, to spend as much time as possible in their zone of genius — which is an org design problem. Last stated a year ago
23 Mar 2025
RV
Rahul Vohra — holds since 2025-03-23 — tap for who they are
Same subject: A computer meant for anyone has to be understandable without a manual, and it has to be friendly. — tap to centre the map on it A computer meant for anyone has to be understandable without a manual, and it has to be friendly. Last stated 4 weeks ago
14 Aug 2026
SK
Susan Kare — holds since 2026-08-14 — tap for who they are
At the centre
The mediocre is the only thing worth avoiding: the best and the worst both teach you something, the middle teaches nothing.
Holds AK Austin KleonRead this korrent →
The middle ground in writing disappears: what is left is good writers and people who cannot write, with no ok writers in between.
Holds
Writing on a schedule is worth less than only publishing what is the best you can do, even if that means one post a year.
Holds JC Jason Cohen
Reviewers can tell the obviously good from the obviously bad, but there is a messy middle where they cannot tell at all.
Holds JR José Luis Ricón
A first draft should not be graded good or bad; it is only the material that taste then gets to act on.
Holds GS George Saunders
Reading bad work is instructive as well as reassuring, so a maker should not read only the good stuff.
Holds AK Austin Kleon
A first draft is necessarily bad, and that is exactly why one has to be written.
Holds AK Austin Kleon
The best sign that a subject is worth writing about is that you are interested in it and nobody else is.
Holds ML Michael Lewis
The material that teaches people how to program is overwhelmingly bad, because the programmers who know how to do it well rarely think it is worth writing down.
Holds CM Casey Muratori
A lot of people can match a framework for taste; almost nobody can create one, and creating one is the rare skill.
Holds DF Dylan Field
A product needs a soul, and for that it needs one person of great taste who is its living, breathing aspect and gets furious about every small detail.
Holds KS Karri Saarinen
Aesthetics is truth: when something is beautiful it is likely to be correct, in code as in mathematics and physics.
Holds
AI can be a shortcut around thinking or a way of thinking more rigorously, and for your core job function only the second one is wanted.
Holds CM Charity Majors
AI should be treated as an instrument to play rather than a tool to use, because there is no purpose to better machines if they do not also produce better humans.
Holds FC Frank Chimero
Heavy AI use erodes understanding first and judgement second: cognitive debt turns into cognitive surrender, where the model's answer simply becomes your answer.
Holds AO Addy Osmani
A blank chat box is lazy: it violates the first rule of a good user experience, that it is obvious what you can do.
Holds JZ Julie Zhuo
A company deserves everyone in it, the chief executive included, to spend as much time as possible in their zone of genius — which is an org design problem.
Holds RV Rahul Vohra
A computer meant for anyone has to be understandable without a manual, and it has to be friendly.
Holds SK Susan Kare