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The Slow Lantern

No. 14 · Winter

Editor and Thinking Tools writer

Marguerite Oakes

Marguerite writes about mental models and likes to test each one on a real household decision before she trusts it. She credits a former neighbour, a retired bus driver, with teaching her to ask 'what would change my mind?'. She is still learning and keeps a list of her wrong guesses.

Notes

  1. 01 Either, Or

    Notebook or Phone? A Fair Comparison for Catching Ideas

    A pocket notebook and a phone notes app both catch ideas, but they fail in different ways. Here is a patient comparison of speed, distraction, searchability and pleasure, with a free two-week trial to find out which suits you.

    9 min
  2. 02 Either, Or

    Reading Aloud or Reading Silently? What Each Does for Understanding

    Reading aloud slows you down and catches clumsy sentences. Silent reading is quicker and quieter. Here is why each helps in different ways, and a gentle rule of thumb for choosing between them.

    8 min
  3. 03 Learning Hard Things

    Learning a Language as a Grown-Up: Small, Cheap, Daily

    You don't need an expensive course or a free year in another country. Ten minutes a day, a second-hand children's book and a willingness to mutter at the dishes will take you further than you'd think. Here is why it works, and why the bumpy patches are normal.

    9 min
  4. 04 Classic Ideas

    Franklin and the Art of Small Experiments on Yourself

    Benjamin Franklin tried out habits, wrote down how they went, and was honest about the results. Here is how to borrow that method for a two-week trial of your own, and why even a fizzled experiment teaches you something.

    9 min