Busy day and a new book

Most of the time, a  busy day is a happier day.  Today was one of those productive days.  I actually was able to tackle each email I received instead of skimming the top few in sight.  That feels like quite an achievement considering there are days when things just keep piling up and await the escalations to start.

I started on a book 'The shallows' by Nicholas Carr.  The first chapter was interesting.  I picked it up because it deals with the topic of my last blog post - information overload.  There were several quotes where people admitted having changed in many ways conditioned by the internet, resulting in lower attention span and patience levels - I completely identify with that. It was interesting to read that with every evolution of the media we use to consume content, we ourselves change in many ways in tune with the new medium.  It doesn't depend on the content quality but rather the nature of the medium itself. 

For example, with the coming of the internet, we pay our bills online.  Imagine if you had to go to the electricity board office, the phone company, the bank and so on physically each month to pay these bills.   That would be quite a hassle now even for those who yearn for the good old days.  Our expectations have changed in response to the medium called the internet.  The medium changes the way we think - now we expect our transactions to happen without any errors amidst the million others that take place every moment.  We resent any time that we have to spend to correct some error that creeps in unexpectedly.  Our voices carry further when we express our opinions. 

The question of information overload isn't going to have a simple answer I see.

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Overload

For a long time now, my web activity has been restricted to email, social media sites and the occasional news check. The internet is great. It connects people and makes our life easier in many ways.

However I wonder if the benefits really outweigh the cost. My email is overflowing with spam that I have no clue how to contain. Facebook and twitter are overrun with sponsored and recommended posts. I google something and ads follow me wherever I go. I waste hours watching mindless videos and memes. When I post something, I watch anxiously till I see a few likes and comments. Imagine how ridiculous we would find this if it wasn't in just bits and bytes on the screen but had a physical presence?

There is probably some phrase researchers have to define this state. I wouldn't know - I haven't read anything meaningful for a long time. My attention span is low and I do not retain much of what I read or see. I skim instead of savor. Direct interactions and conversations with people has become more difficult. There is just so much of content overload and I've let it all wash over me without thinking about the impact on my mind and behavior.

There is good content out there - meaningful stuff that actually adds value to me. But maybe this content isn't as in the face as the meaningless chaff that floats around.

Now I wonder how I can get out of this mess without losing the wonderful benefits of this connected life. Where do I begin?

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