> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://benskutnik.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Frustration - URL: https://benskutnik.com/frustration/ - Published: 2026-11-06T04:22:24.000Z - Updated: 2026-11-07T10:22:21.000Z - Description: My classes are climbing Bloom's Taxonomy, and with that comes frustration in the literal sense. A thought exercise on the most important characteristic in a person. - Author: Ben Skutnik A thought exercise: what is the most important characteristic in a person? Currently in both of my classes, we have moved past the lower orders of Bloom's Taxonomy and are pushing along the *Apply*, *Analyze*,and *Evaluate* phases. Which means we are only \~4 weeks of class away from the final where they will be placed firmly in the *Create* phase. As an instructor, this is my favorite part of the year because this is where you can live in the nuance. The black and whiteness of an undergraduate education is rooted firmly in their coursework at university being focused more on the content rather than context, in my opinion. And I also think that directly leads to the devaluing of the university experience. Not the hottest of takes but, despite it being a commonly held belief, there are still far more courses that follow a more traditional, "death by powerpoint", lecture heavy framework. With this advancement into higher orders of thinking, there is a frustration that comes with it. I mean frustration in the literal sense of "...state of insecurity and dissatisfaction arising from unresolved problems...". Not the colloquial meaning, as in "I am in a state of frustration because in looking up the actual definition of 'frustration' I found out you can now toggle a 'simple definition' to make definitions easier to understand." I digress. This advancement brings frustration because students are faced with the reality that there is rarely an unquestionably right or wrong answer to questions. There's rarely a single solution, just one that makes more sense by whatever metrics are important. So, for possibly the first time in their academic careers, students are asked to critically think about problems and their solutions. Regardless of their actual answers, they are finding themselves working through the context. What is the most important characteristic in a person? Some might think the ability to think critically would be most desirable. Being able to think slowly about issues seems like a universal good. And I wouldn't argue that point, I had thought the same for much of my adult life. But the question should be where that critical thinking is turned to. I think the characteristic stems from the ability to critically think about oneself. That characteristic falls somewhere between guilt and shame, and in that gray space lie empathy and trust. Without the ability to feel guilt or shame, how could one be trusted? How one works through guilt or shame looks different for everyone, but it likely will come with frustration. Self-analysis and self-evaluation. Like in Bloom's, one must pass through those frustration-filled orders to arrive at the pinnacle: *Create*. ## Get new posts by email One email a week. Unsubscribe anytime. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. Emails go out Sundays. --- *This is free to read. If you'd like to help cover the costs of the site and the apps, there's a [tip jar](https://ko-fi.com/benskutnik?ref=benskutnik.com).*