A hammer seems pointless if you’ve never seen a nail.

  • solutions seem pointless if the corresponding problem/purpose isn’t clear… even if the problem is encountered later
  • it’s better to first demonstrate the problem before introducing a solution
  • examples
    • video gamers who find a locked door before finding a key make the logical connection (use key to unlock door) more often than those who find the key first
    • children often hate the (advanced) mathematics taught in school because it often seems pointless
    • functional programming monads are arguably simple, yet newcomers find them difficult… because they try to learn what they are are rather than what they’re for