Connect the following:

Part the First: There is a natural progression, described by a 'learning curve,' that leads through a state of Unskilled and Unaware, to conscious incompetence, to conscious competence, and ultimately to a state of unconscious competence. You could probably plot it out, next time you try to learn a new skill.

Part the Second:

I have a stock position on things like television shows, and maybe comic books. I say that I don't plan to watch Lost or Battlestar Galactica until they're done, and I can sit back with the whole DVD series, or possibly when it turns out they were in a giant snowglobe I'll just know it doesn't turn out in an interesting way and not bother.

Similarly, I like reading history, but can't really be bothered with news and politics. The very same ubiquitous news coverage that makes it possible for folks to become rapt with that stuff is the reason that it's all kept under tighter wraps than ever. You can't get a chat with the president these days simply by tagging along on his walk to the senate, and there's no hope of getting the real story on any current event.

So: not knowing whether there's going to be a worthwhile ending, I guess I'd rather just read up on the election later. That feels more honest than cribbing opinions from an SNL sketch.