We know too much for our own good. Knowledge is power. So the more you know, the better no? Well, as it turns out, too much power is morally corrosive.
And in particular, I argue that the kind of learning we are exposed to every day is really up to the whims of the algorithm.
We end up consuming content and learning things in a scattershot approach.
This leaves us devaluing information, knowledge, and learning.
The abundance of knowledge leads to its devaluation. Basic supply and demand.
There are a few reasons for this devaluation
- there’s too much of it (high signal-to-noise ratio), and it’s hard to tease apart the gems from the duds
- it is dispersed randomly through algorithms
- with shorter attention spans, we have trouble properly imbibing and processing the information
- while there is a lot of information available, we don’t know—or don’t have the proper guides to—teach us to distinguish between the good and bad
- information is easy to get! easy come, easy go. all this information became available and was built on the shoulders of giants over centuries if not millenia. the entirety of human knowledge is available at our fingertips.
What are the remedies?
- We need to get back to the sources, slowly and little by little: read the classics
- Limit social media intake
- Consult critics and experts who are knowledgeable about the subjects instead of blindly following the algorithm and/or other influencers
- Develop critical thinking skills and vet everything you read or hear about online from proven sources
- Take affordable online courses: Coursera, Open courseware, Skillshare, etc. It’s never been easier to learn something should one have the proper attitude and means
- Learn in public and show your work. The best way to help yourself and others is to put all your learnings online. The benefits are twofold: you get a firmer grasp on what you’ve learned, and others can also learn from you