Information Overload
There are things you shouldn’t know.
A void fills you.
You put your hand in your pocket and pull out your connection to the rest of the world. You fill that search bar with the question that knocks at the door of your mind. You don’t even consider thinking of an answer.
You read the words on a page of the web you are unfamiliar with to fill the gap in your mind. It would be a stretch to say you dig any further than your initial recommendation.
Page rank is everything.
You “know” now.
Now being learned on the subject at hand, you no longer feel required to learn more. You’re satisfied as long as you aren’t trying to learn an intricacy, and even if you are you will settle for others information. “These people know, they’ve explored the subject, they know the definitions, they’ve done the task,” you unconsciously confirm.
The Danger
We are subconsciously conditioned to instantaneously accept new information. School has taught us we learn from books, we learn from the internet, and we learn from others. Although we are aware to not believe everything we see is true, it doesn’t matter.
You’ve already ingested the information.
Even the part of the video you scrubbed through, or the useless text you scrolled past— you still saw it. Your conscious didn’t register it, but your brain captured it. I would link studies on this, but I would rather not send you back into the internet, or the insentient library.
You’ve ingested the information that passed through your eyes, however, in your quest for knowledge you never gave yourself a chance to digest. We all know that which we ingest and improperly digest causes all different forms of irritation — one of the worst being regurgitation.
Half-Truth
After reading the 1st ranked article in our search engine we suddenly have much to share — or to regurgitate. We have learned the definition of words, the latest news story (they have to be telling the truth!), the best workout, how to get rich, enlightenment through a new meditation, and the number one stock to invest in.
Now we can share the fragmented information that gave us solace in our time of ignorance with everyone around us, or even the entire world.
We think, “I can move to change others lives.”
“We are living in a time of such privilege we must use this to our advantage.”
“All of the knowledge is at our fingertips and we have accelerated evolution.”
No. We are polluting our intellect.
Half-truth breeds ignorance. We move to share our enlightenment with all those around us — only to pollute everyone else who trusts us. We haven’t sat with the information. As a matter of fact, we haven't even sat with the question.
Now our intuition has become untrustworthy, and we don’t even know it.
The void of information is calling us into deeper exploration, and those explorations are fruitful when focused inside.
When we seek to fill the void of the unknown we face friction that propels us into development. We rise higher through perseverance. Our greatest challenges move us to our highest places. Now our quest for knowledge is halted by page rank. Now somebody else is paving your path through the void.
The void is the unknown. The unknown is the boundless space where your development thrives. The unknown is the darkness you learn to illuminate.
Your quest for knowledge arises in quest-ions (An electrified inquiry by which you learn to develop magnetism.) The magnetism draws in the answers you consciously seek, and the charge comes from the utilization of your being.
We utilize our phones/computers internet only to have to recharge them. Yet, when we utilize the inner-net of the self we become illuminated.
Allow your questions to ruminate, ponder the void, and don’t be afraid of the dark.
The Overload
Excessive levels of information create uncertainty, and over-stimulation numbs us to the intuitive cues in our lives and environment. There is static and chatter within — but most of it is subconscious.
We subconsciously ingest information through our senses whether we are conscious of the stimuli in our environment. Our brain registers the information it receives from the stimuli whether or not we are aware, and will also block out the “useless” stimuli to maintain focus. This is why we don’t consciously hear every conversation in a crowd unless tuned in. However, we still have ingested a massive amount of information we are unaware of from our environment.
Now take into account all of the information we consciously perceive as well, and especially when seeking new knowledge.
We constantly open our phones to the newest news story, or we search the internet on how to do something, or we read the feed on social media containing thousands of various viewpoints, information, and mundane posts about other peoples lives. These are all registered in our minds.
We do this nearly every day. We also take all the subconscious information in and around the conscious.
We have static in our minds.
We lose focus, and we often focus on what doesn't matter. Our mind is sporadic because we cannot process the immense amount of information ingested. Through the broken process, we stunt the evolution we initially sought in our quest for knowledge.
We waver between action and inaction as our internal resonance quiets from always seeking outside of ourselves — and seeking too much.
Nature speaks in a different language. The birds chirp, the rivers flow, or the fires crackle is stimuli processed without articulation. It is information presented in harmony, and the fertile ground from which all evolution has happened.
We would do well to recognize the nature of ourselves, and our relationship with the place that all information has sprung. Our questions, desires, and evolution are fulfilled through processes unwritten and unspoken.
Today knowledge is like a drug. Empowering in short bursts, but ultimately burning out with our lack of embodiment.
“Things never pondered cannot be embodied, and truth never rooted can never find growth.”