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We know what you’re thinking

“How can this be a serious Programming book?”
“What’s with all the graphics?”

“Can I actually learn it this way?”
Your brain thinks
THIS is important.
We know what your brain is thinking

Your brain craves novelty. It’s always searching, scanning, waiting for something
unusual. It was built that way, and it helps you stay alive.
So what does your brain do with all the routine, ordinary, normal things
you encounter? Everything it can to stop them from interfering with the
brain’s real job—recording things that matter. It doesn’t bother saving the
boring things; they never make it past the “this is obviously not important”
filter.
How does your brain know what’s important? Suppose you’re out for a day
hike and a tiger jumps in front of you, what happens inside your head and
body?
Neurons fire. Emotions crank up. Chemicals surge. Great. Only 464
more dull, dry,
And that’s how your brain knows... boring pages.

This must be important! Don’t forget it!
But imagine you’re at home, or in a library. It’s a safe, warm, tiger-free zone. Your brain thinks
You’re studying. Getting ready for an exam. Or trying to learn some tough THIS isn’t worth
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technical topic your boss thinks will take a week, ten days at the most. saving.
Just one problem. Your brain’s trying to do you a big favor. It’s trying to
make sure that this obviously non-important content doesn’t clutter up scarce
resources. Resources that are better spent storing the really big things.
Like tigers. Like the danger of fire. Like how you should never have
posted those “party” photos on your Facebook page. And there’s no
simple way to tell your brain, “Hey brain, thank you very much, but
no matter how dull this book is, and how little I’m registering on the
emotional Richter scale right now, I really do want you to keep this
stuff around.”

you are here 4 xxv