Useless Thoughts and Developments

a blog like any other, but one that is me and not them

Review: Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World

May 03, 2021 — ~sleuth

Couldn’t finish this one.

For a book that reiterates the idea of deep intellectual focus, it’s pages are filled with just the opposite; Newport’s so called “shallow work” applies here. This book is crammed with managerial, business like, productivity-for-the-sake-of-productivity drivel and repetition.

I understand that the author originally wrote a blog post where the coined the term “deep work” (so original right?) I haven’t read it but I’m almost certain it did everything the book does without wasting my precious time engaging in epiphenominal “deep work” i.e.: shallow work in disguise.

Don’t get me wrong, these are good ideas, ideas utterly essential to the habits of intellectual fulfillment. But there are maybe two or three of them, already common sense to the modern day reader, repeated over and over interspersed with bragging about how much money the author made, how many places he’s traveled to and hero worship of “successful” people (people that make a lot of money), “smart cogs” as I like to put it. Specialized skilled people who’s skills no doubt required sustained concentration and intellectual prowess, and yet cogs all the same.

tags: review