The Information Age is Over

Dear Reader,

Information is everywhere. It is available for us in our homes, on our phones, in our cars, on our airplanes – and it’s a 24/7 barrage. We have long ago surpassed the popular factoid claiming that one issue of the daily New York Times contains more information than the typical 17th century human being might encounter in an entire lifetime. Who knows, that might even be true. And, in fact, our digital capacity to share information is still rapidly expanding.

Why then, am I claiming that the information age is over, stick a fork in it, done?!

Because we are in the midst of realizing that not all information is equal.

Because we are in the midst of realizing that our time is limited, no matter how hard we try to ingest all the information we possibly can.

Because we are in the midst of realizing that information can actually take over our lives, if we let it.

Before I tell you what age we are transitioning into, let’s quickly frame the information age.

Without going all the way back to the invention of the printing press, let’s just say that with the vast improvement of technology stemming from the industrial era, and the development of the computer and all that goes with it, and oh, throw in the radio and television revolution as well, we experienced an explosion of information in the mid-twentieth century. That explosion accelerated as computing and information processing was refined.

We are currently at a point where information is shared in real-time, on a global level, and we barely think about it.

In many ways, of course, more information is good. More than good, it is amazing. Through a Google search, I recently diagnosed myself with a detached retina and got to an eye doctor in time to avoid full-blown surgery. Am I grateful? You bet! And there are so many more advantages to easy access of information than I can name here.

But we are also growing more overwhelmed, distracted, and stressed by all this information.

So what age have we entered?

The age of choice.

We are slowly realizing that some of information we are spoon-fed is inaccurate, useless, or downright rubbish. You only need to look on Facebook at all the pleas for people to research the accuracy of information before they share it. It is also dawning on us that we must prioritize, not only the information we pay attention to, but the amount of time we spend paying attention to information.

I don’t need to tell you, right? We have all been there. A quick search for basic information on Wikipedia leads to a follow-up video on YouTube, until, three hours later, you are still immersed in clips from the X-Factor New Zealand – from five years ago. I confess!

Yes, we are in the midst of the age of choice.

And there’s more.

We are being called on to choose what we believe in, what we will and will not tolerate, and even who we really are, as individuals and as a society. With all the real-time information, cultures are colliding as never before, people are able to respond to injustice as never before, and each of us is being called on to look within…

Why?

To ask ourselves, “Do I believe in what this person is saying? Can I really support this behavior? What do I believe, and what is most important to me in life, anyway?”

Is it any wonder that people tend to pull back and become more guarded, for fear of being called out in some way, when they least expect it?

Despite my rant, I do believe that what we are experiencing with information is natural, and even necessary. But now we need to reflect, people. We need to look carefully at the impact of information on our lives – including what I see as a devaluing of the inner experience in our quest for more information, research and data.

Again, I am not slamming research or data; they are crucial to the continued improvement of our lives and the wellbeing of our planet.

I am calling for some perspective, that’s all – that “choice” word again.

How do we evolve through this?

We need a vision. Each of us individually needs a vision for our lives, and we need a bigger vision as a society – because it has never been more clear than now that we are a society lacking in vision.

And we can do it.

I say that with complete confidence, because even if we are a people lacking in vision, we are not lacking in heart. You only need to look through the cracks, between all the bad news stories, to see that.

And heart, dear reader, will save us. Heart, and conviction – the conviction that comes with making powerful choices for good, and standing up for them – even while remaining open to a different idea, an alternative perspective, another way.

In other words, it is time for us to grow up.

Welcome to the age of choice!

I honor your loving heart,

John