Despite putting it off for as long as they could, your hosts finally return to the concept of "grit."

Your hosts did their first pre-flight, and it went pretty well.

Next up, in direct contravention to the dictates governing the uneasy peace with ATP, there is some computer talk. Specifically, Merlin wants to know if John really didn't do any research, and John wants to hear Merlin's reactions to Apple's recent announcements.

(Editor's Note: At one point, John accidentally/casually reveals the existence of a queue, and, of course, it's all Merlin can do not to stop the program, start over, and spend three hours interrogating John about this previously undisclosed queue. If John thinks he's off the hook for discussing this in the future, he is super wrong.)

Merlin confesses to being more frustrated with the fans than the concept, and John has some thoughts about oat bran. Also, Merlin is obviously more frustrated with the actual concept than he's comfortable admitting.

Can we reliably reverse-engineer grit from success? And how do we account for the grit it takes many folks just to survive day-to-day? John admits to being skeptical about any skeleton key, and Merlin thinks parents get way too attached to stuff that makes them feel smart.

(Episode recorded Tuesday, October 19, 2021)

The topic expands to a wider exploration of Big Ideas in parenting, education, and pedagogy. Merlin has a little niggle, and John remembers when parents had a modest annual kiss budget. Then, things get gritty. Can models help kids? Want a Rice Krispies treat?

"He also claims that his suit was cheap due to it being the suit that McCarthy-era lawyer Roy Cohn died in"

While it remains unclear whether grit can be taught, educators should be aware that even if it is possible to teach perseverance and passion, it’s unlikely to translate into things that schools can measure and take credit for.

"My investigation led me to two conclusions. The first is that the widespread assumption that grit is a salient concept for low-income students is a stark misconception. The second is that while grit theory offers little of value to those disadvantaged students, it can certainly harm them, by romanticizing hardship."

MacArthur 'Genius' Angela Duckworth Responds To A New Critique Of Grit : NPR Ed : NPR