What are the effects of too much information?
Thanks to modern communication systems, and internet in particular, we consume more information than we used to in all the past centuries combined.
But there are some side effects on doing that, for example:
1. Social media tend to amplify fake news because that is the downside of those platforms. People's desires and fears (frustrations) are reflected in what they think and do, and we end up getting in touch with that info which in turn will have an impact on our mind.
2. Passive info, like watching or reading, engage different areas of the brain compared to creating something or engaging with others. The more we stay passive, the more we become passive. It's similar to eating; the more we eat, the more we need to, since our Basal Metabolic Rate [1] is proportional to our weight. In other words, change become more difficult (eg. start playing an instrument, volunteering, creating a solution, or doing some sport) because it requires an active behavior, while every day we become more and more passive.
3. Waste of time is typical when we surf the net. Sometimes is good to stay detached and passive, but probably it's not a good idea watching all types of content online. As while driving, it's better to follow few simple rules to avoid crashing and hurting ourselves and others. In general all the information that we cannot use, is useless.
4. Confusion may happen when we get information that we're unable to process and to put in practice. For example, we watch a video and we think we know everything about cancer. But we missed to understand the assumptions of that video, and that creates a false sense of confidence. We watch some fake news and we start believing that the Earth is flat, and we share with others these conspiracy theories. So, paradoxically too much information creates ignorance. Confusion arise in darkness, and ignorance is always the root cause of it.
I think the practice of human values is simple and effective to clean up our mind, and to move forwards to the inner journey of peace and love. [2]
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basal_metabolic_rate
[2] https://www.fempton.com/uxton/human-values
But there are some side effects on doing that, for example:
1. Social media tend to amplify fake news because that is the downside of those platforms. People's desires and fears (frustrations) are reflected in what they think and do, and we end up getting in touch with that info which in turn will have an impact on our mind.
2. Passive info, like watching or reading, engage different areas of the brain compared to creating something or engaging with others. The more we stay passive, the more we become passive. It's similar to eating; the more we eat, the more we need to, since our Basal Metabolic Rate [1] is proportional to our weight. In other words, change become more difficult (eg. start playing an instrument, volunteering, creating a solution, or doing some sport) because it requires an active behavior, while every day we become more and more passive.
3. Waste of time is typical when we surf the net. Sometimes is good to stay detached and passive, but probably it's not a good idea watching all types of content online. As while driving, it's better to follow few simple rules to avoid crashing and hurting ourselves and others. In general all the information that we cannot use, is useless.
4. Confusion may happen when we get information that we're unable to process and to put in practice. For example, we watch a video and we think we know everything about cancer. But we missed to understand the assumptions of that video, and that creates a false sense of confidence. We watch some fake news and we start believing that the Earth is flat, and we share with others these conspiracy theories. So, paradoxically too much information creates ignorance. Confusion arise in darkness, and ignorance is always the root cause of it.
I think the practice of human values is simple and effective to clean up our mind, and to move forwards to the inner journey of peace and love. [2]
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basal_metabolic_rate
[2] https://www.fempton.com/uxton/human-values
