Should you be mindful of consuming information?
Hi, welcome to our 6th edition of Call to Action!
Today, I want to share with you my thoughts on consuming information. No matter how many times you try to stay optimistic, in some instances the external circumstances just make it impossible. And you can attribute a good deal of them to the scraps of news or information you keep receiving throughout the day. Think of how news has evolved in these years. In the last decade or so, you would just sit in front of the TV to watch the news at a very specific time. Or read newspapers in the morning. You consumed information of what is happening around the world within that time frame. Apart from this, you wouldn’t watch the news at other times. Nor would you check news highlights every fifteen minutes. You move on.
Fast forward to today - I am looking at myself here. Twitter is my exclusive source of news these days. I not only consume the mainstream news, I also get to read what everyone says about everything. As I update myself in the mornings, I consume a fair amount of toxicity in various forms. Content that is racist and trolling. The left wing and right wing keyboard battles. The conspiracy theories that beat the universe. Every morning, I am tempted to choose and cheer for a side to win these battles. I wouldn’t know why I do it - like someone who would binge watch a sloppy TV series, I am probably addicted to consuming news this way. Unless I really make an attempt to break from that habit, I fear to think of the compounding effect this toxicity is going to bring to my mind.
I am probably not alone.
There is also a false sense of satisfaction in being the first to consume news - and to share it with others. Then there is also the fear of missing out. This is where Whatsapp thrives - regardless of whether the news is credible or not. There is just so much of information everywhere that our text alerts and notifications keep pouring in hour after hour. It does not get any better - we keep digging the rabbit hole deeper each time.
This week, I came across a tweet of Balaji Srinivasan, an angel investor and an entrepreneur. This may be a useful way to look at consuming any kind of information:
Think about the metaphor. Consuming carbohydrates in excess makes you physically unwell. You are required to take in a balanced meal with proteins, leafy greens and vegetables. It may be useful to take a similar view towards consuming information. This is especially true for the instant news flooding our phones. To be careful with your intake of information is to protect you from an unhealthy state of mind.
Earlier, I shared with you my problem with consuming information. To give up on one’s time and attention is the most precious and underrated gift, and I want to be mindful when giving it to someone the next time. So as a start, I am reviewing my sources of information and intend to regularly update my list. I am consciously reducing my phone usage at nights. The opposite of consuming information is to create value - and I hope to keep this newsletter going.
I want to hear from you. Have you been in the same boat? How did you improve - or plan to improve?
Thank you for reading! If you liked this post, share it with your network. I would love to hear your thoughts on this - you can give me your feedback by replying to this mail. Signing off until we meet next time!
Will you publish these topics as a book..?