The concept of the "painted fields curse of knowledge" refers to the phenomenon of individuals who possess expertise or knowledge in a particular subject struggling to communicate or teach that knowledge effectively to others who lack that same level of understanding. The term itself originates from the story of the Painted Fields, a fictional village where the people developed the ability to see color but lacked the means to describe or explain it to those who couldn't. This concept can be generalized and applied to various domains, such as education, communication, and even everyday conversations. When someone becomes an expert in a certain field, they tend to internalize their knowledge and understanding of that subject, making it difficult for them to put themselves in the shoes of a beginner or someone unfamiliar with the topic. This creates a discrepancy between what they want to communicate and what the recipient can comprehend. The expert may struggle to break down complex concepts into simpler terms or may use jargon and technical language that the listener or learner cannot understand.
The expert may struggle to break down complex concepts into simpler terms or may use jargon and technical language that the listener or learner cannot understand. The curse of knowledge can hinder effective teaching and communication, as the expert may make assumptions about the listener's background knowledge or fail to recognize gaps in their understanding. This can lead to frustration and misunderstanding on both sides, with the expert becoming frustrated by the listener's lack of comprehension, and the listener feeling overwhelmed or confused by the expert's explanations.
Broom-Hilda at 50 – Aging Gracelessly
While Broom-Hilda herself is 1500, the comic strip is just now turning 50.
Fifty years ago Russell Myers took an Elliot Caplin idea and formed Broom-Hilda.
Elliot Caplin worked in the comic industry just like his brother, Li’l Abner creator Al Capp. Caplin came up with the idea for a strip about a witch whose name was Broom Hilda. Harvey Kurtzman, a legendary EC Comics and Mad magazine artist, illustrated some Broom Hilda samples, but the strip didn’t sell.
Caplin met Barsotti at a party and asked if he knew another artist who might be interested in taking a strip for a test drive. Barsotti suggested Myers, who recalled getting a phone call from Caplin on a Friday: “He said ‘I’ve got this idea for a witch named Broom Hilda and that’s really all I have. Can you send me samples of your greeting cards?’”
Myers said he was caught off base by the request.
“So I sat down over the weekend and, just off the top of my head, did the first six Broom Hilda strips and sent them,” he said.
“(Caplin) called me back and said, ‘Oh my god, I love them.’ And he ran down the street and sold them. You know the old story of being an overnight success after trying all your life? That’s what it was.”
Myers and Caplin struck up a business partnership that lasted 30 years. Myers handled the creative aspects of Broom Hilda and Caplin, who died in 2000, took care of negotiations and the business side of the strip.
Officially the Broom-Hilda comic strip debuted on Monday, April 20, 1970:
above: the first Broom-Hilda daily strip from The New York Daily News
update – So on April 20, 2020 Russell celebrated the Golden Anniversary:
But the history books put the beginning of Broom-Hilda on April 19, 1970 because that is when The Chicago Tribune ran a promo piece in their Sunday Funnies of that day, proclaiming the start of the comic the following day. (I don’t know how many other papers ran the promotion.)
above: the promotion that ran in The Chicago Tribune comics section on April 19, 1970
The next day the Broom-Hilda comic strip debuted on the front page of The Chicago Tribune.
Any way you count it, the rough-and-tumble witch became an instant hit.
Broom Hilda beat the odds just to see print. The fact that she and strip-mates like Gaylord Buzzard and Irwin Troll have remained in circulation for a half century is witchcraft-level magic.
A few years ago Russell took another look at the first week of strips for the National Cartoonists Society’s magazine The National Cartoon!st; he remained happy with the gags and the art. Russell even mentioned that he wasn’t sure if the years of refinement, as all strips go through, was a good thing.
Back in the day one measure of a strip’s popularity was how many ComicBacks® were issued.
Broom-Hilda, in the 1970s and 1980s, had its share – and I, as a fan of the strip, bought most of them.
Along with the funny characters and gags, there is the surrealistic Haunted Forest landscapes and Russell’s designs to enjoy.
Today, if your local newspaper doesn’t carry the strip, Broom-Hilda can be read
at the Tribune Content Agency site and at GoComics.
While you are waiting to get those paperbacks shown above, Sunday Comics Debt
has a few entries from the past highlighting Broom-Hilda, Gaylord, Irwin, and even Grelber.
Mike Lynch features one particularly bizarre sequence where Broom-Hilda and Gaylord are confronted with the problem of disposing the body of a dead cartoonist.
He’s 81 and he has no plans to retire from the strip.
“There are days I am tired of it, sure,” he said. “But it has just become such a routine part of my existence. It’s just what I do. … I have longevity on both sides of family and good health, so I’m just going to keep grinding away.”
Even if Myers had a change of heart and retired tomorrow, Broom Hilda could continue for at least another year and a half because he works ahead and has an inventory of unused strips…
“Yeah. You tend to take things for granted. I live here and I look out my window. I look out on a river. People come by and say ‘oh, that’s beautiful.’
“Well, it is beautiful, but after you sit here for a week or two, you just don’t see it sometimes. It is just there. You take it for granted. But if I sit back and evaluate, I’m thinking, yeah, I’m sitting here in my house in my bedroom slippers and I can work the hours I want and I guess it is about the best job in the world for me.”
update – So on April 20, 2020 Russell celebrated the Golden Anniversary:
To overcome the curse of knowledge, it is important for the expert to step back and consider the recipient's perspective. They should strive to simplify their explanations, use relatable examples and analogies, and adjust their language to suit the listener's level of understanding. Breaking down complex ideas into smaller, more digestible pieces can help bridge the gap between the expert's knowledge and the recipient's level of comprehension. In conclusion, the painted fields curse of knowledge highlights the challenges faced by experts when trying to convey their knowledge to others. It serves as a reminder of the importance of empathy, simplicity, and effective communication in imparting knowledge and understanding to those who may not be familiar with a particular subject. By recognizing and addressing the curse of knowledge, experts can enhance their ability to teach and communicate effectively, fostering a more inclusive and enriching learning experience for all involved..
Reviews for "The Curse of Knowledge: How Experts' Expertise Hinders Effective Communication in Painted Fields"
1. Sarah - 2 stars - I found "Painted Fields: Curse of Knowledge" to be quite disappointing. The plot was confusing and hard to follow, with jumps in time that left me feeling like I had missed something important. The characters were also not well-developed, making it difficult to connect with or care about their stories. Overall, I struggled to get through this book and it did not live up to my expectations.
2. David - 1 star - I couldn't finish "Painted Fields: Curse of Knowledge" because it simply bored me to tears. The pacing was extremely slow, and I found myself constantly checking how many pages were left until the end. The writing style was also dry and lacked any sort of engaging prose. I had high hopes for this book, but unfortunately, it did not capture my interest at all.
3. Emily - 2 stars - Although "Painted Fields: Curse of Knowledge" had an intriguing premise, the execution fell flat for me. The dialogue and character interactions felt forced and unnatural, making it difficult to immerse myself in the story. There were also numerous grammatical errors throughout the book, which were distracting and took away from the overall reading experience. I was disappointed by this book and would not recommend it.
4. Michael - 2 stars - "Painted Fields: Curse of Knowledge" had potential, but ultimately, it failed to deliver. The world-building felt underdeveloped, leaving many unanswered questions and leaving me feeling unsatisfied. The plot twists were predictable and felt forced, lacking any genuine surprise. Overall, I found this book to be lacking in originality and would not consider it a standout in its genre.