Learning notes 2026-W21

How to be inspired without copying The question “is my work too derivative?” tends to be the wrong question entirely. The better question is whether you’ve absorbed enough different things, and absorbed them with enough seriousness, that the combination is uncopyable. A writer who’s only ever read three contemporary literary novelists will produce derivative work no matter how hard he pushes against it. A writer who’s read those three plus Cicero plus Joan Didion plus theological treatises plus aviation manuals has too many vectors to ever come out sounding like any one of them. Range is the cure. Don’t put aria-label on generic elements like divs We can’t change generic role on div and span elements to a named region using aria-label. Let generics be generic. The importance of people who care Leaders who care build teams who care, they nurture people who are willing to go the extra mile. Leaders who care develop people who have the confidence to tell others that we need to slow down,…