[pessimizer]

> they think memorizing all the world capitals was a way to improve your intelligence. It's not.

It definitely is. I don't understand the disdain for facts. If, when talking about a city, I know that it's a capital city, I am smarter than I would be if I did not know, and I have a better ability to participate in the conversation. If I know a bunch of constants (in whatever trade I work in) offhand, I can quickly do calculations in my head. Does knowing how many centimeters are in an inch make me smarter? Yes, it does. There was a reason why you memorized every letter in the alphabet.

> The way to do that is to just read books, study, work hard in your chosen field

Spaced repetition is literally just a way to study. You make the cards as you read books.