Pot Noodle Knowledge

Despite the pace of technological change, the human brain has not changed much in the last 40,000 years. (source) The structure of our brains is not much different than that of the man–apes in Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey. Also, last time I checked, no one has overturned Brooks Law. Nine women still cannot make a baby in a month.

The Tweeter who complained that the Internet is producing “pot noodle knowledge,” instant and thin, was likely observing the rapidly growing chasm between information availability and the mind’s ability to make sense of it during a time of rapid change. This post explores that premise.

Limits. Swedish neuroscientist Dr. Torkel Klingberg “admits that there are limits to the working memory’s capacity to cope with information overload caused by a plethora of digital technologies.” (source) The work of Earl Miller (link), a professor of neuroscience at MIT, similarly points out that our working memory is surprisingly limited.

Thinking versus Knowledge. Information graphics that illustrate the Internet’s evolution are beginning to resemble a nervous system, rather than tight-fisted clusters. This is good. Internet-enabled technologies like Google and Twitter have not only made it possible, but also easy for the average individual to instantly access and share game-changing information.

The value, then, is in how an individual applies information or knowledge. In a world of information abundance, thinking exists in scarcity. This is nothing new. Decades before the Information Age took root, Henry Ford recognized that “thinking is the hardest work there is, which is probably the reason why so few engage in it.”

Time and Silence. Wisdom derives from experience and reflection. Reflection requires time and silence, two ingredients that are difficult to come by.

Archimedes’ Eureka! moment occurred when he set foot in a bathtub and noticed that the water level rose. This moment of realization did not transpire in his laboratory. It is interesting to consider what would have happened if Archimedes, or any of our other great thinkers, carried a cell phone everywhere.

The Separation of Mind and Technology. The separation of church and state is one of the core principles guiding our version of democracy. One of the ultimate thinkers and student of history, Thomas Jefferson, wisely recognized this and embedded it into the heart of our Constitution. Both elements are essential. Similarly, the separation of mind and technology recognizes the need for separation. I have been reading John Medina’s Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School and website (link), which offer fascinating insights into how our minds work. It quickly becomes apparent that our minds cannot develop insights or do meaningful work when plugged in 24/7.