The Human Vacuums

How we dissemble information to data and cry all over it.

Disclaimer: This is a piece of my thoughts, and not really well-written. Let’s say it’s a debate where I try to convince you will my point of view.

Three days ago, I decided to log myself out of both Facebook and Twitter because of an article I read on Medium and nostalgia to a month I spent without social media (the small community of Windows Mobile are really content).

In these three days, my day pretty much became empty. I can tell there's an increased sense of clarity in my mind. I didn't fantasize or daydream as intensively as I used to (DPD anyone?) or as unnecessarily. My imagination became a friend for the first time in months.

I can sense time, sounds and human interactions better. Hell, something that I would normally take two hours to study can be studied in half an hour now. I became more focused and I believe this state will improve even further. But why?

The Info Mania

I was like a baby who has opened his eyes to see his very first visual scene

Yesterday, I left the apartment for the first time since taking the detoxing decision. I knew I was craving for any human interaction, I felt it right away after disconnecting... The strange thing though was my crave for any kind of information, anything! Street names, car models, license plates, and people's faces. I was like a baby who has opened his eyes to see his very first visual scene, and analyze it for the first time. And was just as fascinating.

I tried to suck as much information as I can before coming back home. Not sorted, not filtered, just info to feed the hungry monster inside of me.

Unnecessary information is garbage data.

Humans are born with a beautiful, mysterious thing called curiosity. We love to know about things that interests us. We love clicking on “Learn More” once we’re hooked. Curiosity is the best catalyst for absorbing information. I believe there’s something, let’s call it, Curiosity Radius. Curiosity Radius is the set of topics of interest where our curiosity of is beneficial. Abusing our curiosity to exceed that radius makes it incredibly less beneficial.

Bear with me.

Example 1: I’m interested in (Inside my Curiosity Radius) astronomy, I read about it. I now possess valuable information about astronomy.

Example 2: I’m not interested (outside my Curiosity Radius) in the many types of make up (I mean come on!), I read about it. I now, well, know the many types of make up. I’ll probably forget about it later on.

The point is, the information you don’t care about is data. Garbage data.

Social media feed says fuck that.

I have a way of studying: I create mind maps. I categorize and subcategorize on repeat till I can't specialize information anymore. Social media feeds says fuck that. Let's turn your mind into a clusterfuck, in which information are so small that you can't specialize or categorize recursively. Now spend enough time so you can adapt to this chaos. Now an algorithm will pattern this chaos to your preferences to make you like it more.

Case in point: Twitter is much more addictive than Facebook. Why? More personalized and wider set of endless, smaller pieces of information.

Social media feeds are designed to be random, distracting and chaotic. They're about quantity, not quality. Always.

Note: If you’re a developer, or associated with creating a social media feed, do a favor for humanity, favor humans over time spent on app and do the opposite of the above. If your content is good enough people will stick around.

The Bottom Line

What is happening to you is the combination of these two points: You’re sucking unnecessary, small and uncategorized information through a chaotic, endless social media feeds.

These data is floating in your mind, leaving no room for any information that is important to you. You’re vacuuming dirt, and you need to stop.

Call to Action

If your time is being wasted on social media, join me. I would love to find company through the distance.

This is my first journal, obviously, it’s messy and not well-written. Leave me advices, many, to help me improve in my next journal. Also, I’m hopeful that I can write once a week. Fingers-crossed we start a weekly journal.

Love! 🖖