Coping with the Dangers of Information

Information and knowledge are powerful but can one have too much of a good thing? This is the question recently posed in an article in the New Scientist called, The Dangers of a High-Information Diet. The title of the article reminds me of one of the directives that author Timothy Ferriss considers vital to success; embracing a lot information diet. Several arguments can be made here; the productivity draining effects of multi-tasking, for example or the difficulty of making assessments of information value when the volume of information becomes overwhelming.

Some of the cases discussed in the article are extreme – the ethics of publishing the genome of deadly viruses – which poses the question of whether censorship may be needed in some circumstances. Misuse of such information is not a problem that many will face however. Most people probably face more mundane problems of handling a large volume of information and not knowing what to do with it all. Solving this problem is difficult at the individual and social level but librarians and other professionals can help. Beyond professional assistance, it is important to consider a few basic questions when considering a new piece of information. For many readers, this may come as review but it is well worth reviewing.

Principles to Cope with Information Danger and Overload

• Why does this information matter to me? (Possible answers include: I need it to work better, I want to be entertained, I want to forge a social bond through information a la marriage discussion forums)
• Does this information have lasting value to me? If so, then how will I absorb or preserve it? (There are a range of options ranging from take some notes on it to preserve the item in its entirety)
• Does this information require any action from me to become useful? (e.g. respond to a message, think through an exercise, write a letter to the editor etc. Dave Allen’s GTD principles has more on this.)

Applying these principles will set you on the road of more responsible information usage. What kinds of strategies have you found useful in manging your own information? I have experimented with Tim Ferriss-esque experiments in cutting down my information consumption (i.e. on vacation, I tend to read books largely to exclusion of other media) but have not had any major revelations from that approach as yet.

Related posts:

1. The Information Behaviour of Brides To Be
2. Lessons Learned: How College Students Find Information in the Digital Age (Report)