The Grass is Always More Mowable on the Other Side

Today, during shower, I recalled an incredulous thought I had a year back: Competitive Programming is hard, let me study for the Putnam exam instead. So, I ponder now: Why do some fields completely out of my specialty seem, easier?

Can I blame my inner Dunning-Kruger?

I think in the realm of soft Computer Science, I am slowly climbing the slope of enlightenment: I know a lot, but I also know exactly what I don’t know. On the other hand, when it comes to, say, biology, I don’t know what I don’t know, and, consequently, I am quite aware of my ignorance in this field. However, when it comes to mathematics, although I don’t know a lot, I actually know what I don’t know, and, I therefore feel a lot more confident.

These are just some late night thoughts. But perhaps a slight refactor can benefit the Dunning-Kruger diagram: Account in the “knowledge” axis, the knowledge of knowledge (the ability to categorize the field).