“We are drowning in information while starving for knowledge.”

–E.O. Wilson, Author, Consilience: The Unity of Knowledge

Imagine our mind as an 8 lb sack designed to carry rocks. Now imagine packing that 8 lb sack with 10 lbs of rocks. Over time, the 8lb bag will be stretched out of shape to accommodate the extra 2 lbs. Similarly, the sack will be more difficult to carry, and some rocks will spill out due to lack of space. If you can visualize this little example, think about how much information we daily book and store in our minds. In today’s social media fueled environment, the amount of information [good, bad, low quality or fact-based] is doubling at a dizzying rate. In fact, this article is part of the information storm we are experiencing. “According to the book Information Anxiety, the fund of information doubles every five years. Some say it’s doubling every two years.”

Now, think about the sheer volume of information that we are exposed to each day—and what this does to our mind, body and soul? We go to bed checking our mobile phone for any last-minute information that we might have missed. We get up in the morning, again, checking our phone to see if we missed anything while asleep. For the record, I will admit that I am addicted to information. In addition to random news feeds, I am also subscribed to platforms like Instagram, Tik Tok, LinkedIn and others. I think that I am staying ahead of the curve by accessing all the information that I can collect. But the real gag is that I am exposing myself to a tsunami of low-quality information that is negatively affecting my mood and disposition every day.

We are inundated with friends sharing funny and sometimes serious content; with social media influencers debunking and bunking; and with companies using click-baits to increase their “share of our mind.” For us, there is no hiding place. For instance, when we’re in our car, we’re listening to the radio blaring non-stop commercials for us to buy something. With the radio off, we try to take in the road scenes, yet we’re immediately smacked in the face with huge and colorful billboards hawking some product or service. We are over saturated with information. As a result, it is becoming increasingly more difficult to process and effectively use much of this “information.” In simple terms, we are suffering from a man-made virus. And what is the upshot of being the recipient of all this information? Are we smarter? Do we make better decisions? I don’t think so. Or are we simply empty vessels waiting to be filled with someone else’s opinions?  My late brother referred to this phenomenon as “information disease.”

How do we counter this “disease;” how do we glean useful knowledge from this growing mountain of information being generated? Allow me to take a shot at some possible strategies to reclaim both our minds and life.

Here goes:

1. Act like a newspaper editor when unsolicited information is sent our way. Pick and choose what to click on and follow. Bottom-line is that YOU decide what gets published in your mind.
2. Have a specific goal when searching for information. If not, you will have to wade through what feels like a ton of useless verbiage
3. Recognize that data is useless unless it can be transformed into useful information
4. Remember not to assume that all information is gospel. Beware of the “Garbage in…Gospel out” mind meld. Information is not value free.
5. Subject all information to the “trust but verify” test

In closing, as the wise old Grand Master of Funk, George Clinton, once said, “Free your mind and your ass will follow!!”

About The Author

Kwame S. Salter is President of The Salter Consulting Group, LLC.  After enjoying a rewarding career in non-profits and local politics, Kwame spent 22 years with Kraft Foods, where he rose to become Senior Vice President of Human Resources. He attributes his success to a strong work ethic, a commitment to excellence and to the employees he served, and unwavering candor.

To learn more about Kwame Salter, click on the link below:

Spotlight: “Being The Boss When It’s Black Over White” by Kwame Salter

“You can tell whether a man is clever by his answers…you can tell whether a man is wise by his questions.”

-Naquib Mahfouz