Active vs. Passive Learning

Morgan Housel argues that passive learning, where people read broadly and stumble onto topics that match their curiosity or current needs, has produced most of what he has learned, and that it should be valued alongside active learning, which he describes as school. He argues that learning across fields reveals ideas that recur in several disciplines, and that bosses should give employees time to think, since 79% of jobs in 2025 are management, professional or service roles that rely on thought. He also notes that in 1870, 46% of jobs were in agriculture, citing economist Robert Gordon.