The news cycle today pumps new information into our brains at a progressively faster pace.

You are reading this short blog. With the attached photo, it might be a megabyte of information. According to a study from a few years ago, your brain will consume approximately 34 gigabytes of information today. The same study conducted today would probably reveal that we are taking in even more.

Always On, Always New

We are not so good at recycling.  Old movies, second-hand news, yesterday’s pastries.  We’ll have none of that. We want the latest. The newest. The now-est. The scoop.  Oldies radio features hits from the 1990’s and I will often say things to which my kids reply, “That’s so 2015.”

The problem is that there is information from 1990 and 2015 and 1390 and 1815 that’s still relevant. In fact, information and knowledge today stands on the accumulated knowledge of millennium. 

Some information is better than other information.

There are some facts, figures, articles, stats, and information that are foundational. It’s used to build new ideas. New knowledge architecture.

There are other facts, figures, articles, stats, and information not worth keeping - and in some cases not worth knowing. The determination is made based on importance and relevancy.

Here’s the point:

Don’t write off information simply because it’s old.

Always on and always new sometimes means we forget that what was written two weeks ago, or two months ago, two years ago, or two centuries ago is still helpful and relevant. 

(For this reason, Evernote has become an increasingly important tool in an age of burgeoning information.)