In my childhood in Tirunelveli, English proficiency was a sign of education. We had school monitors noting down the names of students who spoke Tamil. Fines were imposed, with each Tamil utterance costing us a rupee - a significant amount in the 90s when a samosa cost 1.5 rupees. At homes that would afford, 'The Hindu' was a staple, and vocabulary books like 'Word Power Made Easy' were indispensable for those aspiring to crack exams like CAT, GMAT, or GRE. A rich vocabulary was more than knowledge; it was a symbol of education and sophistication.

Even during my late 20s, on a visit to New York City, I found myself commenting to friends, "Man, even the homeless people in New York speak great English." This observation was a stark reminder of the “English Trauama”.

Munroe's "Thing Explainer," with its deliberate simplicity, challenged and reshaped my perspective on language and education. It proved that effective communication doesn't require complex vocabulary, a principle I am now applying in my work with 'The Internet of Value'.

This backdrop made Randall Munroe's "Thing Explainer" a groundbreaking read for me. Munroe, using only the most common thousand words, simplifies complex subjects. His terms like "Up Goer" for rockets and "food-heating radio boxes" for microwaves challenged my ingrained belief that complexity in language is necessary for understanding complex ideas.

This book influenced my work on 'The Internet of Value'. Despite my upbringing, where speaking English well, i.e. using as many complex words as possible was seen as a sign of intelligence and education, Munroe's approach demonstrated that simplicity can be more effective. Munroe's work inspires me to ensure that 'The Internet of Value' is accessible to all, aiming to eventually use only the most common 1,000 words.

"Thing Explainer" isn't just a book; it's a testament to the power of simplicity in communication. It underlines the idea that complex language isn't required to explain complex concepts. As I continue to refine 'The Internet of Value', my goal is to make it as accessible as Munroe made the subjects in his book.

Thank you, Randall Munroe, for this approach to communication, and thank you, Naval Ravikant, for bringing this to a wider audience. This book is not just an informative read but a guide on how to convey sophisticated ideas in simple terms, an approach that is crucial for projects like 'The Internet of Value'.

For more on - 'The Internet of Value', please visit The Internet of Value.