When you are a live player in the system you are inside it.

Sensing all around you. Your ego plugged in, senses twitching, in danger, uncomfortably excited, gloriously alive.

Your knowhow acquisition rate is through the roof.

But your horizon is limited to the edge of the system.

When you're passively consuming you are outside the system.

Intellectually thinking about it, toying with it, safe.

Your horizon is broad, but your rate of knowhow acquisition is significantly lower.