Thoughts on Consumption vs. Production and Information Culling
I woke up at 5 a.m. and reflected on my feelings from the weekend. I realized I've been too much of a consumer and not enough of a producer, wasting my creativity. It's time for a culling.
In our age of information overload, it's crucial to separate signal from noise. Without filtering out useless information, we risk cognitive overload, which hampers creativity and inspiration. No information is useful or useless inherently. It all depends on context, but in any given context, what's useful and relevant is few, what is not is plenty.
In nature, everything consumed has a practical use. Our bodies use oxygen for blood and organs, and food for energy. So why do we hoard information "just in case," never using it? We often over-consume knowledge out of a fear of missing out (FOMO) mindset.
The Culling Process
To address this, I propose a simple culling process. When you encounter new content, ask yourself:
- Do you genuinely enjoy it?
- Are you truly curious about it?
- Does it have immediate, tangible value in your current context?
If you answer yes to any of these questions, it's worth consuming. If not, it's likely noise and a waste of time.
Remember the saying "use it or lose it." Unused information clutters your brain and takes a cognitive toll. By culling, you can moderate your cognitive load, enabling you to focus and create.
The more your take in, the less you're able to put out. This culling process is key to switching from a passive consumer mindset to an active producer mindset. It helps maintain a 1:1 ratio between consumption and production.
Genuine Curiosity
When assessing curiosity, consider whether you're enthusiastic about the content for its own sake, not just for potential future benefits. True curiosity is about present excitement and a desire to dig deeper, not the expectation of a benefit in the future.
Niche Topics and Smaller Communities
Culling often leads to engagement with niche topics and smaller communities. Mainstream interests are often driven by social phenomena rather than genuine interest. The more popular something becomes, the less value it may bring to each individual.
For example, following large Twitter accounts (200,000-500,000 followers) can lead to noise and diluted value. It's harder to interact meaningfully or build real relationships in very large communities.
Smaller, budding communities or accounts offer better opportunities for true communication, relationship-building, and value exchange. It's about being able to genuinely relate to and interact with others, whether individuals or communities, on a human scale.
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