Why does Naval emphasize that “the internet is a super leverage for learning”?

Hello there! That's an excellent question. This idea of Naval Ravikant's can truly be counted as one of the cornerstones of his philosophy. Let me explain why he places such high importance on the internet as this "learning lever" in plain language.

First, Let's Talk About What a "Lever" Is.

You've probably heard Archimedes' famous quote: "Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world."

Here, "leverage" is a metaphor. It means using a small amount of force, with the help of a tool, to accomplish something massive that you could never achieve with your own strength alone. The core idea is: small input, huge output.

Naval believes that making money and creating value also requires leverage. He identifies several types of leverage:

Labor Leverage: You become a boss, employing others to work for you.
Capital Leverage: You use money to make investments, earning returns on your capital.
Code and Media Leverage: This is the newest, and often most powerful, leverage. You write software, record a video, or write an article that can be replicated and used by countless people at near-zero cost.

And Naval emphasizes that "the internet is a super leverage for learning." This means that the internet, as a tool, enables you to achieve learning outcomes and knowledge gains that were previously unimaginable, using minimal time and money.

Why is the Internet Such a Powerful "Learning Lever"?

Think about what learning was like for an ordinary person before the internet:

High Cost: Want to learn something specialized? You either spent huge sums on university or bought expensive books and course tapes.
Narrow Access: Knowledge was largely locked away in university libraries, professional institutions, and the minds of a few experts. Who you knew and who was physically near you largely determined what you could learn.
Slow Speed: A book might take months to reach you after publication; sending a question to an expert via mail meant you might never get a reply.

Now, with the internet, everything has been transformed:

1. Learning Costs are Almost Zero

This is the most obvious benefit. Courses taught by top professors, which used to cost thousands, are now often free on YouTube, Coursera, edX, and similar platforms. Want to learn coding? Try FreeCodeCamp. Want to learn any subject? Wikipedia, countless specialized blogs, and forums offer vast amounts of information.

Your Input: Investing one or two hours of focused time each day. Your Output: Potentially mastering a skill that can change your career. That's leverage!

2. Top-Tier Knowledge is Instantly Accessible

The internet puts the world's "libraries" and "universities" in your phone and computer. And not just any universities – think "Harvard," "MIT," "Stanford."

You can watch MIT physics lectures directly on YouTube.
You can read the latest physics research papers on arXiv.org (the same ones Nobel laureates read!).
You can follow top experts in any field (like Naval himself) on Twitter, getting real-time insights into their thoughts and shares.

In the past, this level of access was an unimaginable privilege for an ordinary person. Now, if you have curiosity, this knowledge is at your fingertips.

3. You Learn Entirely at Your Own Pace and Based on Your Interests

Traditional education is a "set menu" – the school decides the curriculum, forcing you through it regardless of your interest or pace.

The internet is a "buffet style" learning environment.

Learn whatever sparks your curiosity. Naval strongly emphasizes following your genuine interest because that's the key to sustained learning. The internet makes it easy to explore any niche or emerging field.
Learn at your own speed. Didn't understand a concept? Rewind the video and watch it ten times. Too easy? Play it back at 2x speed. This level of personalization makes learning vastly more efficient than traditional education allows.

4. Not Just "Learning" – But Immediate "Applying" and "Teaching"

This is where the leverage becomes truly exponential. The internet isn't just for learning; it provides platforms for practice and sharing, dramatically amplifying your learning impact.

Apply What You Learn: Learn to code? Immediately take on a small project or build your own app. Learn writing? Start a blog or a Substack. Feedback comes quickly.
Learn By Teaching: Naval often says the best way to learn something is to teach it. You can take what you've learned, explain it in your own words, and share it as an article or video. This not only deepens your own understanding but also helps build your personal brand (which is, in itself, another form of leverage!).

To Summarize

So, when Naval Ravikant says "the internet is a super leverage for learning," he is revealing an inspiring reality:

In this era, if you are willing to invest your curiosity and time, the internet offers you access to nearly infinite, virtually free, world-class learning resources. It breaks down barriers of geography, money, and social status, putting the power to learn firmly back into our own hands.

It's like a combination of a magical library + global university + exclusive club, and the only ticket required is your curiosity.

By harnessing this leverage, an ordinary person can realistically learn scarce, valuable knowledge and skills through self-directed learning, potentially transforming their entire life trajectory. This is the fundamental reason Naval consistently drives home this point.