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redmink's picture

My mom is a fashionista

My mom is a fashionista.  She probably has a sixth sense to pick up the cheapest, best clothes in stores.  Dragged by her for my entire life, I became good (sort of) at choosing 'what my mother would probably like.'  When my right hand tries to reach a 80's skirt, my left hand that deeply sensed my mom's grimace stops the action.  Such repeated practices, however, do not work when I am alone.  I panick when I have to buy like a prom dress by myself.  I consciously remind myself that I have to choose a good one, but at the same time my mind goes totally pitch-black.  'What is the style that my mom would recommend me?" I can't think.  Though I have shopped with my mom numerous times in my life, I can't define what my mom's style is.  Here, two tacit understandings can be found:

 

1.  my mom's skill at choosing a good wear

2.  my ability to grasp my mom's style when I'm with her.

 

The second one works because I don't consciously think I have to choose a good one, and I know somehow in the presence of my mom beside me what she likes maybe by sensing her glare, or body gesture, or facial expression.  

 

The other example of tacit knowledge is language.

Speaking English as a second language, I personally have somewhat different English lexicon than other native speakers.  According to someone(who was it?) in class, if a person consciously thinks what she is speaking word by word, then he/she will never learn a language;  this represents how native language dictionary, or lexicon, is innately there in human's brain. (So, I decided not to be conscious while talking. )

 

Lastly, as I mentioned in class, test skill is also a tacit understanding.  First attempt of choosing an answer of multiple-choice test is usually better than the second attempt which is a conscious thinking.  Such instinct cannot be taught easily in words, and gets better through repeated practices. 

 

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