“I'm going to Stanford and making money!”

An Interview by Nicolas Dugan

Zach Slichta is a senior at Cornwall Central High School who has dedicated much of his free time to learning about psychology, philosophy, sociology, economics, and jazz. In my interview with him below, we discuss the effects of social media on our generation, the link between music and knowledge, his own desire to learn, and more.

What first prompted your appreciation for knowledge?

I’d say that first came when I was in second grade. I had this desire to read all the Harry Potter books as fast as I could. I read them as a challenge, similarly to the concept of the Read-a-Lot computer software we used in elementary school. I’d fly through books. I enjoyed reading but a big part of it was trying to get to the end. It’s a different chase now, a different type of knowledge that I’m interested in. But Harry Potter was entertainment for me. Recently, quarantine was the biggest opportunity for me to learn. Now, there’s less reading for me and more podcasts, lectures,YouTube videos, and audio books.

Economist Thomas Sowell once stated, “We’re raising whole generations who regard facts as, more or less, optional.” What are your thoughts on this statement and what might social media have to do with Dr. Sowell’s perception?

I would say, you cannot be overconfident in yourself, your opinions, or your resources. It’s good to be weary of social media. The manipulation of statistics over social media is unbelievable. When you have a bias, or you hold a certain view, it’s easy to pick certain pieces of data to back up your claims. With social media, you’re consuming what they want you to consume. It’s a huge yes man. With TikTok, I would scroll through and only see stuff I agree with. Sometimes, if you’re into politics especially, you have this perfect path where you get tunnel vision and less open minded. Social media is what people rely on now. It’s nearly impossible to pick up a book when you have an iPhone in your hand.

Of all the different mediums there are for you to consume your news and learn, which do you utilize the most?

YouTube. I think the longer videos can only really be found there. I don't like the quick cut TikTok thing. I’ve found fantastic first hand interviews and lectures, and YouTube has stuff that dates back awhile as well. I got to watch an interview with Carl Jung, a psychologist who died decades ago. I can’t find that anywhere else. I’m a better listener. I digest podcasts and interviews easier than books. Over the summer, I can work on landscaping and listen to my lectures. I'm going to Stanford and making money!

What’s more important- vocabulary or real-world stuff? Example, is it more important to define what the federal reserve is or to be able to answer “Why should we appreciate our mixed market economy?”

I think it's important to have both. You want to understand what you’re saying, but you don’t need a crazy vocabulary. There’s a difference between learning from books or other people and applying, learning by doing. I’ve learned all of these different philosophies and reasons for them because I’m trying to find my identity. I got to the point where I realized that I’ve got that foundation. It’s now the application of that, putting it into the real world, which is so important.

As someone who finds their own resources, do you fear fake news? Fake news being defined as intentional and unintentional misinformation.

I don't really anymore. I’m not okay with either, but I’m at this point where I fear its effects on people who don’t know how to handle misinformation. It’s all about healthy skepticism. I think of those slideshow posts on Instagram. What truths are they rooted in? There’s not a lot of truths out there, there’s a lot of opinions though. You have to look at these posts objectively. There’s information that you do not know. There’s information the person posting does not know. If you keep that in mind and you actively search for this information, you will be more likely to find the truth. We are living in the information age. If you’re doubting a post, actively search for statistics to back it up or disprove it. Look at things more objectively.

I know you’re a musician. Has your desire for knowledge helped you there as it has helped you in your high school education?

My quest for knowledge has translated to learning more about music theory and jazz. That has also had an impact on my desire for knowledge regarding psychology. It goes both ways. I like jazz because I like it. I’ve become more open minded as a result of my AP Lang class as well as my own quest for knowledge, which in turn made my music tastes broaden.

Many young people decide to take a stance, whether that be by wearing clothing in support of a presidential candidate, gathering to peacefully protest, debating with other students on their views, or posting something on their own social media. How does this fall into one’s path of educating themselves on these topics? Why make it so public?

I feel in our culture, personal identity and having an opinion to define yourself is an important thing. People have unbelievable opportunities, the freedom to choose. It’s about becoming an individual and not being a part of the crowd. Most people don’t want to be sheep. It’s empowering to express your individual beliefs but the polarization of the country is a huge part of it too. Political belief is pretty much tied to two parties. For some, it’s about identifying with that group and feeling as though you’re on the right side of history.

My final question is rather open ended. Why have you taken to complex topics such as philosophy and complex music like jazz? Do you just like to think?

It’s funny because I’m not a genius by any means. Going back to the Harry Potter series, I just enjoyed it. I have different reasons now;, I want to figure out life. You can relate it to a Macroeconomics thing:, all humans act in their own self interest. I’m doing that by trying to better myself through learning these topics. In the past it was about doing well on my vocab quiz, but I’ve felt this jump to bigger topics that relate to life. This is tough stuff, heavy topics I mean. I learn about it because I want to, and when I'm learning there's a feeling of needing to learn it. With music, when things get more complex it blows my mind. The different emotions I can feel as a result is unreal. Jazz can really do that. It’s nuts. Now that I’m in my late teen years, emotions are more complex too. Emotions aren’t happy and sad. Neither is “The Duke” by Brubeck. Once you understand it and get that basic knowledge, the different feelings you can get are almost difficult to describe.

Photo courtesy of Zach Slichta.