Information Overload

I'm looking around the room in my house where my computer rests and seeing bookcases filled to the rim (and I threw out quite a few books when I moved to Portland). It makes me wonder about information, or more specifically information overload. I think I have reached the level of information overload because I find myself being less and less curious about more and more information that is thrown at me each day.

Do you read less now? I do. Selectivity is the theme for me now because I just can't keep up with all the information others want me to know.. It's almost as if putting more information in my head makes me lose some of the existing good "stuff" (the forgetful oldie syndrome) to make room for the silly new. I also think putting too much information in my head confuses me as well. Why do I need gossip, TV show celebrity news and thousands of other modern information tid bits that are of no real use and simply take up space in our brains? No wonder I forgot to zip up today!

We are in the information overload age. Our computers and other technology constantly bombard us with stimulation. Problem is, most of the bombardment is useless or even idiotic information. I think too many people today know the idiotic facts and too few know the important ones. In a sense, informational overload makes us less smart because it distracts us from knowing what we need to know to understand and interact in the real world in which we live.

I bet more Americans can name the "stars" of reality TV shows than can name their own area Senator or Representative who is in congress to (allegedly) protect and work in their interest. It's probably because with so much information thrown at us every minute if every day, particularly information that is unimportant to knowing reality, we lack the discrimination skill to sort the good form bad information. A hundred years ago when information was far less available people knew what they needed to know clearly and thoroughly. That is not the case today.

Maybe the monks in a monastery have it right in their belief in simplicity. Perhaps the understand the truly important questions in life because they are apart from all the maddening stupidity that is thrown at the rest of us in the name of 'importance'. But I don't want to be a monk. Perhaps it is hopeless and we should be resigned to letting the trivial information overload kill the important. But it's not the kind of world I like. I will try to recognize what information is important and what is not, and in the process, be at least a little aware of reality and importance.

Oh..by the way..in case you didn't realize it. What I wrote today falls in the idiotic and trivial classification.