I remember writing down everywhere — in notebooks, calendars — all full of teenage fury and conviction: “OBSERVE THE MASTER / IMITATE THE MASTER / BECOME THE MASTER”. An edgy 14 year old I was. I don’t remember the source for that anymore; it looks too wise to have come from myself.
this is not restricted to the east. it’s not as explicitly culturally enshrined, but “lurk moar” is a well known way to sponge up tacit knowledge, particularly physical tacit knowledge.
watching an old guy do things like: work in his shop, organize his code, ski a clean line, repair a toilet, re-rack his tools, prep the kitchen counter to cook, etc. etc. is always valuable and i recommend doing so whenever you get the chance.
This is how I originally learned vi. Watching a crusty old guy who occasionally explained his keystrokes and didn't think it was worth mentioning that alternatives existed. (After all, if the alternative requires eight megabytes and constant swapping, is it worth mentioning?)
