I noticed recently that my morning patterns have changed slightly. I open my eyes, stretch out and where I use to look out the window next, I turn on my iphone and check my email, twitter feed and the Globe. I read a few articles from Forbes. And then I look out the window, for the weather of course. When did the need to be in the know take over?
On the Q this morning Jian Ghomeshi spoke with Clay A Johnson about The Information Diet, a healthy approach to consuming information. In a world where the media influences the way we feel about virtually everything, perhaps it’s time to take ownership of our role in the transaction of information. Johnson’s info-veganism is about going straight to the source for information – cutting the media fat out so to speak. I feel inspired to try this yet the thought of reading government manuscripts as news, has got me well, craving fried chicken. It also has me turning my phone off. Slowing down and breathing in. I open the fridge, reach for the carrot sticks and panic – Am I addicted to information?
At work, out with friends, at the gym, everyone and everything is telling us to be in the know. But what if we’re not? Does it matter? Do we look stupid? It seems so much of what we know is because we think we need to know it, and we need to know it the way our world does. A single article can’t possibly tell us a lot about anything, just as a meeting someone from a few minutes really is just a first impression. What sticks for me in any story is the curiosity to learn more. Like a hook in a novel, information can catch and reel you in. As people with faculties, we can choose if we want to keep reading.
Knowledge is about getting to the heart of it. If we look to the source – slow down and breath in – maybe we can find the real story. Maybe we can find what we’re really craving.
Spruce Learning 
