Maybe it's a little bit like having a cluttered basement where you know damned well you have the right tool ... somewhere ... but there are so many broken old appliances, cans of paint from rooms you painted 10 years ago, chairs you mean to fix but never will etc. that you never, ever find it.
I like that metaphor! And then one day, the basement becomes so cluttered that you give up on checking it altogether. Or perhaps you'll be offered the option to pay a hefty fee for an ultra-premium clean-up service to make it functional again.
My basement (old and creepy one — 1897 house) is essentially usef for only two things now. 1, laundry, and 2, a graveyard for stuff I can’t figure out how to responsibly get rid of. My kids are a bit concerned they’ll have to deal with this someday and they’re right to worry! The problem has become so severe I no longer even want to think about it — which is true of lot of America’s problems. And it’s a problem that doesn’t occur in Europe, because they make recycling old appliances and electronics easy. This is true of many issues — other countries do something about it, and the U.S. simply waves a flag and insists it’s No. 1.
Oh, wow, I didn’t realise that was an issue in the US. There are many recycling points and centres here in the UK. You can even order a free collection of some bulky items.
It's ridiculous, and a lot of people merely dump their old items or secretly stash them in the regular trash. I have two old vacuums, an old espresso maker, an old air fryer, printer and other things like that down there. Once a year you can drop off a limited number of things, but you have to get there early and wait in line for hours. It's insane.
This is so true! There was a Jia Tolentino essay related to this a few years ago about how knowing all of the tragedy happening around the world somehow feels virtuous, even though it often leads to a sense of paralysis and overwhelm.
There's too much information in the same way there's too many clothes and knickknacks to buy. It feels like we're living in an age with so much material and information excess but devoid of community and connection.
Oh, yes - that's compassion fatigue. It might be tough to turn away from what's important to us, but our brains and emotions aren't unlimited resources. Besides, you can't pour from an empty cup. We need to take care ourselves, too, if we want to be there for one another.
Another essay about this subject used the term junk information for information that has no value and you forget about after 10 minutes. All social media value quantity over quality. You will go viral for saying something outrageous than a well thought out and nuanced analysis.
Yes, part of the problem is also that social media platforms encourage users to say anything and everything, regardless of whether it's true, helpful, or valuable, as long as it's 'engaging' enough.
I’m just back from a camping trip where my phone was off the whole time. My state of (relative) relaxation has inspired me to keep it off much more often. Marshall McLuhan predicted all what you are talking about in the early 60s. Wow, did he nail it. And I agree w you completely. This needs to be managed assertively or we will just drown.
I have always wondered, what do I do with all these information that barely have a necessity in my life?
The media is making everything everyone's business. And this is really scary. I am very glad to find this article. One solution I believe is to check all our notifications at a particular time so that we can filter them out and ignore the rest.
This is a great article with so many important points about the over-saturation of misinformation on the internet. Not everyone has been taught to adequately check their sources or verify the supposed “facts” they come across.
One thing that hit home for me was the immediacy of breaking news. Sometimes I get a notification with breaking news and feel compelled to react through an Instagram post or written piece, but I have to remind myself that the quality of my response is preferable to how quickly I get it out there.
I think my need to respond immediately is a symptom of my attention rapidly switching from thing to thing in the digital age. What if we just took a breath and let things sit a little longer? Would we really miss out on so much? I find most topics are still relevant when I come back to them later.
'...capitalist addiction to relentless growth and prioritisation of profit...'
Yeah, I'd say this would be the main cause of these types of problems, in that the system in general doesn't bother to take into consideration the potential negative effects as well as risks from such endeavours and advancements.
Instead, as you rightly pointed out, maximum profits are the main goal, no matter the cost to the people and society as a whole.
My goodness. What a fascinating read! I wrote something similar to this, and it was talking about how and why I have cut down on most of the notifications from my phone. We all need to become more aware of this sort of thing. Brain rot is certainly real, and sadly the technology companies, especially social media, want to feed it, and make you become addicted. How do we fight against it? I'd say, become aware of it and start making others aware one person at a time. But not in a way that's preaching but doing so with compassion.
Again, loved this story, thank you for writing it!
Incredibly! It is relaxing to know that others are seeing the way things are heading in its own odd way? It makes one feel less alone. I love technology, and believe it can do more harm than good. We just have to make the proper choices with it, which are not what those who are selling the technology of own social media want us to do. They’ll present their products as positive solutions while in reality hoping you give in to destructive behavior and succumb to addiction.
That is certainly how I see most things in the world, both the tangible and philosophical. In an ideal world the masses would reject the people in power who are blatantly trying to use technology as a means towards what I would consider evil means; people getting addicted, feeding into rage, lowering mental health etc. What I think we must try to do is truly do our best to make grassroots efforts to reject the worst that technology has to offer, and slowly but surely move to places where people want to make genuine connections. I know I have lofty ideals, but if I can make small changes, others can too, especially when it comes to shaking off the stuff that isn't helpful or necessary.
The issue of too much information has a transversal impact on industries and daily life. I especially appreciated the point in which you talked about the 'novelty bias', in my opinion it is a bias that is absolutely representative of today's daily life and the facts we approach every day: we get tired of the things we already have or know, avoiding delve deeper, and we are increasingly looking for 'tastes' of new and fast things. However, the problem of too many choices also has repercussions on the very choice of things for us: several studies with a marketing background have shown how, faced with too many options, a consumer can go into a state of 'overload' which can lead him not to choose , even, or to make the choice that he will later consider wrong. Thank you for sharing this topic and reiterating the importance of choosing sources of information and focus.
This topic is so relevant today! I appreciate your thorough (and gloomy) depiction of the current situation but I LOVED reading this little rogue sentence in there "whether it’s a bird landing on your balcony’s rail to rest (one did just as I was writing this sentence) " :) it allowed me to take a step away from your words for just a second
I don't appreciate the comparison utilized of humans wiring for sugar and the outcome of obesity and diabetes. As a public health professional with a focus on chronic disease prevention, there is so much we don't understand about the evolution of diabetes and the other chronic diseases. Also, humans have existed as varying body sizes since the beginning of time. All of the data related to obesity and chronic disease outcomes is correlation, not causation. We don't actually understand the mechanisms of disease of development with much clarity at this point. And we certainly don't understand why some people seem to be naturally fat, even those who engage in exercise and a stable nutritious diet, while others are naturally thin, even when they never exercise and have a less nutritious diet. When you actually delve into the research around obesity this metaphor of "we figured out how to make sweets and pies before our body knew how to handle it," really just falls apart. This metaphor is rooted in the bias of fatphobia that exists in science and I was really sorry to see it paraded out here in an article that I believe has a lot of merit.
This is very interesting and I often see flippant asides about “tech our monkey brains can’t handle” so I appreciate seeing this fleshed out further. The question I am still left with (admittedly I studded plants rather than animals) is how something like Doritos or the Web could be something the human brain can’t handle when they were conceived by the human brain?
Unfortunately, we’re not doing nearly enough to combat the problems that you mention. The system—coupled with unprecedentedly powerful technologies—will continue to exploit anything it can turn into profit at an ever increasing rate until there's nothing left but machines on top of machines. There seems to be very little we can do to change this at this point. But I think there is a deeper dynamic underlying the ideological and economic factors. It has to do with a certain kind of (technical) mindset that has developed over the last four centuries or so, and which has now come to encompass virtually every area of human existence. I'm all for scientific and technological progress, but I think we've confused progress in these two areas with progress in other areas of human existence. Science and technology involve and require a very different set of principles from ethics (i.e. the understanding of what is good, just, etc.). We have lost sight of this rather obvious difference in the wake of scientific and technological progress; or perhaps we just don't care? We can accumulate and refine knowledge and technology as much as we like, but this does not mean that we become better human beings in the process. For the first time in the history of this species (really since the making of the first atomic bomb), technologies can lead to the total annihilation of human civilization; the very creation of technologies of this magnitude proves that our understanding of the human condition is superficial. With almost godlike information, knowledge and technical prowess, one would hope to have a godlike understanding of ourselves and our limitations, but this is obviously lacking, and I don't see how this can be changed.
"Even having the time and mental energy to filter out irrelevant or low-quality information and find better sources is a privilege not everyone can afford."
This is exactly right, and it is becoming almost dystopian. In Neal Stephenson's novel "Fall" he predicted that in the near future the internet would become so clogged with AI-generated spam, scams, conspiracy theories, hoaxes, and porn, that the wealthy literally hire lower status people to screen and filter their information ecosystem, relaying only high-quality material to them; everyone else succumbs to the disinformation insanity and society comes apart
Maybe it's a little bit like having a cluttered basement where you know damned well you have the right tool ... somewhere ... but there are so many broken old appliances, cans of paint from rooms you painted 10 years ago, chairs you mean to fix but never will etc. that you never, ever find it.
I like that metaphor! And then one day, the basement becomes so cluttered that you give up on checking it altogether. Or perhaps you'll be offered the option to pay a hefty fee for an ultra-premium clean-up service to make it functional again.
My basement (old and creepy one — 1897 house) is essentially usef for only two things now. 1, laundry, and 2, a graveyard for stuff I can’t figure out how to responsibly get rid of. My kids are a bit concerned they’ll have to deal with this someday and they’re right to worry! The problem has become so severe I no longer even want to think about it — which is true of lot of America’s problems. And it’s a problem that doesn’t occur in Europe, because they make recycling old appliances and electronics easy. This is true of many issues — other countries do something about it, and the U.S. simply waves a flag and insists it’s No. 1.
Oh, wow, I didn’t realise that was an issue in the US. There are many recycling points and centres here in the UK. You can even order a free collection of some bulky items.
It's ridiculous, and a lot of people merely dump their old items or secretly stash them in the regular trash. I have two old vacuums, an old espresso maker, an old air fryer, printer and other things like that down there. Once a year you can drop off a limited number of things, but you have to get there early and wait in line for hours. It's insane.
It cost me $70 to responsibly dispose of an old broken TV here in the US (and that doesn't count my time and transport costs).
Oh, you need a basement!
This is so true! There was a Jia Tolentino essay related to this a few years ago about how knowing all of the tragedy happening around the world somehow feels virtuous, even though it often leads to a sense of paralysis and overwhelm.
There's too much information in the same way there's too many clothes and knickknacks to buy. It feels like we're living in an age with so much material and information excess but devoid of community and connection.
Oh, yes - that's compassion fatigue. It might be tough to turn away from what's important to us, but our brains and emotions aren't unlimited resources. Besides, you can't pour from an empty cup. We need to take care ourselves, too, if we want to be there for one another.
Another essay about this subject used the term junk information for information that has no value and you forget about after 10 minutes. All social media value quantity over quality. You will go viral for saying something outrageous than a well thought out and nuanced analysis.
Yes, part of the problem is also that social media platforms encourage users to say anything and everything, regardless of whether it's true, helpful, or valuable, as long as it's 'engaging' enough.
I’m just back from a camping trip where my phone was off the whole time. My state of (relative) relaxation has inspired me to keep it off much more often. Marshall McLuhan predicted all what you are talking about in the early 60s. Wow, did he nail it. And I agree w you completely. This needs to be managed assertively or we will just drown.
Turning off your phone during a trip is such a good idea. I have to give it a try next time.
I have always wondered, what do I do with all these information that barely have a necessity in my life?
The media is making everything everyone's business. And this is really scary. I am very glad to find this article. One solution I believe is to check all our notifications at a particular time so that we can filter them out and ignore the rest.
I actually have all notifications turned off from 8 PM to 8 AM, and I'm considering extending this further into the day as well.
This is a great article with so many important points about the over-saturation of misinformation on the internet. Not everyone has been taught to adequately check their sources or verify the supposed “facts” they come across.
One thing that hit home for me was the immediacy of breaking news. Sometimes I get a notification with breaking news and feel compelled to react through an Instagram post or written piece, but I have to remind myself that the quality of my response is preferable to how quickly I get it out there.
I think my need to respond immediately is a symptom of my attention rapidly switching from thing to thing in the digital age. What if we just took a breath and let things sit a little longer? Would we really miss out on so much? I find most topics are still relevant when I come back to them later.
Thank you, Leigh, glad you appreciated it!
One problem is that information sells and silence doesn’t
It's also the kind of information that sells well that's the problem.
'...capitalist addiction to relentless growth and prioritisation of profit...'
Yeah, I'd say this would be the main cause of these types of problems, in that the system in general doesn't bother to take into consideration the potential negative effects as well as risks from such endeavours and advancements.
Instead, as you rightly pointed out, maximum profits are the main goal, no matter the cost to the people and society as a whole.
My goodness. What a fascinating read! I wrote something similar to this, and it was talking about how and why I have cut down on most of the notifications from my phone. We all need to become more aware of this sort of thing. Brain rot is certainly real, and sadly the technology companies, especially social media, want to feed it, and make you become addicted. How do we fight against it? I'd say, become aware of it and start making others aware one person at a time. But not in a way that's preaching but doing so with compassion.
Again, loved this story, thank you for writing it!
Thank you so much, I'm happy you found it insightful!
Incredibly! It is relaxing to know that others are seeing the way things are heading in its own odd way? It makes one feel less alone. I love technology, and believe it can do more harm than good. We just have to make the proper choices with it, which are not what those who are selling the technology of own social media want us to do. They’ll present their products as positive solutions while in reality hoping you give in to destructive behavior and succumb to addiction.
I believe the same thing. Technology isn't inherently good or evil, it's how we build and use it that matters the most!
That is certainly how I see most things in the world, both the tangible and philosophical. In an ideal world the masses would reject the people in power who are blatantly trying to use technology as a means towards what I would consider evil means; people getting addicted, feeding into rage, lowering mental health etc. What I think we must try to do is truly do our best to make grassroots efforts to reject the worst that technology has to offer, and slowly but surely move to places where people want to make genuine connections. I know I have lofty ideals, but if I can make small changes, others can too, especially when it comes to shaking off the stuff that isn't helpful or necessary.
The issue of too much information has a transversal impact on industries and daily life. I especially appreciated the point in which you talked about the 'novelty bias', in my opinion it is a bias that is absolutely representative of today's daily life and the facts we approach every day: we get tired of the things we already have or know, avoiding delve deeper, and we are increasingly looking for 'tastes' of new and fast things. However, the problem of too many choices also has repercussions on the very choice of things for us: several studies with a marketing background have shown how, faced with too many options, a consumer can go into a state of 'overload' which can lead him not to choose , even, or to make the choice that he will later consider wrong. Thank you for sharing this topic and reiterating the importance of choosing sources of information and focus.
This topic is so relevant today! I appreciate your thorough (and gloomy) depiction of the current situation but I LOVED reading this little rogue sentence in there "whether it’s a bird landing on your balcony’s rail to rest (one did just as I was writing this sentence) " :) it allowed me to take a step away from your words for just a second
I don't appreciate the comparison utilized of humans wiring for sugar and the outcome of obesity and diabetes. As a public health professional with a focus on chronic disease prevention, there is so much we don't understand about the evolution of diabetes and the other chronic diseases. Also, humans have existed as varying body sizes since the beginning of time. All of the data related to obesity and chronic disease outcomes is correlation, not causation. We don't actually understand the mechanisms of disease of development with much clarity at this point. And we certainly don't understand why some people seem to be naturally fat, even those who engage in exercise and a stable nutritious diet, while others are naturally thin, even when they never exercise and have a less nutritious diet. When you actually delve into the research around obesity this metaphor of "we figured out how to make sweets and pies before our body knew how to handle it," really just falls apart. This metaphor is rooted in the bias of fatphobia that exists in science and I was really sorry to see it paraded out here in an article that I believe has a lot of merit.
This is very interesting and I often see flippant asides about “tech our monkey brains can’t handle” so I appreciate seeing this fleshed out further. The question I am still left with (admittedly I studded plants rather than animals) is how something like Doritos or the Web could be something the human brain can’t handle when they were conceived by the human brain?
Unfortunately, we’re not doing nearly enough to combat the problems that you mention. The system—coupled with unprecedentedly powerful technologies—will continue to exploit anything it can turn into profit at an ever increasing rate until there's nothing left but machines on top of machines. There seems to be very little we can do to change this at this point. But I think there is a deeper dynamic underlying the ideological and economic factors. It has to do with a certain kind of (technical) mindset that has developed over the last four centuries or so, and which has now come to encompass virtually every area of human existence. I'm all for scientific and technological progress, but I think we've confused progress in these two areas with progress in other areas of human existence. Science and technology involve and require a very different set of principles from ethics (i.e. the understanding of what is good, just, etc.). We have lost sight of this rather obvious difference in the wake of scientific and technological progress; or perhaps we just don't care? We can accumulate and refine knowledge and technology as much as we like, but this does not mean that we become better human beings in the process. For the first time in the history of this species (really since the making of the first atomic bomb), technologies can lead to the total annihilation of human civilization; the very creation of technologies of this magnitude proves that our understanding of the human condition is superficial. With almost godlike information, knowledge and technical prowess, one would hope to have a godlike understanding of ourselves and our limitations, but this is obviously lacking, and I don't see how this can be changed.
"Even having the time and mental energy to filter out irrelevant or low-quality information and find better sources is a privilege not everyone can afford."
This is exactly right, and it is becoming almost dystopian. In Neal Stephenson's novel "Fall" he predicted that in the near future the internet would become so clogged with AI-generated spam, scams, conspiracy theories, hoaxes, and porn, that the wealthy literally hire lower status people to screen and filter their information ecosystem, relaying only high-quality material to them; everyone else succumbs to the disinformation insanity and society comes apart
What Neil Postman called Information Glut: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SB4a06slUms