Elite Information

Ten years before, I could not have fathomed the radical transformation “internet” would bring at all levels – social, cultural, economic, political and also areas which I can’t currently imagine. Internet has been a result of the sheer ease through which data can be transmitted across devices and geographical areas. This has allowed people to access data of discursive themes with tremendous alacrity. Not only has this contributed people to leverage the availability of cheapest data in human history for various purposes but as a member of the generation that has been raised with this phenomenon, I can easily construe the revolutionary advantage that my generation possess contrary to the past ones. This post is not about the generic advantages/disadvantages of the internet but a realisation of the limitless possibilities we can realise. We need to understand the tremendous effect of this ceaseless pool of information we find ourselves suddenly drowned in. One of the results is that we have commensurate data on almost every topic we can possibly span. That includes news websites, social media accounts further branching into new domains, YouTube, Quora, this blog and so on. Once we have access to literally any kind of information then we need to carefully examine the quantity and quality of information which we consume over a particular period of time. For example, internet has contributed immensely to the education sector. I can recall how I used to search for past year papers, question banks, practise papers all available on the internet. Stretching the concept to its optimum possibility I realised that I can consciously control the type of information I consume to use it to the maximum advantage I can milk from mere consuming of information. That includes websites I use for my English and Grammar, improving vocabulary, learning about accents, learning new skills or honing existing skills etc. I also binged some productivity related websites. I watch variegated documentaries, current affairs etc. You get the idea? It is that since we are in this unforeseen period where we literally have any conceivable information to its immense depth, we need to be mindful of the information we gorge at the end of the day. And since we are a part of the information revolution, we need to use it in a fashion that exudes immense benefit to our overall life, then we must learn to have a grip on this novel phenomenon which Internet is. 

Here is how I interpret the phenomenon:

You get the idea, I hope.

                                                                                                                                                         

Internet is basically a universe with every kind of information available through a slew of sources such as YouTube, podcasts, blogs, Aeon Essays, language enhancement websites, Wikipedia, productive pages in social media. I divided the information available using a simple metric: whether the information which I am consuming has any utility in the long run. The realisation was shocking: Most of the information which I was consuming a year ago was entirely unproductive. I made gradual attempts to shift the metric towards “Elite Information” as I like to call it and the results were dramatic. I witnessed a substantial increase in my vocabulary, academic performance, perspective on life which matured from a generic teenage purview to a more pragmatic one and so on.

Hence, I can vouch for the tremendous possibility this tool called “Information” possesses for each individual and I firmly believe that individuals can capitalize on ‘Elite’ information consumption in a revolutionary way for personal life. However, one must also act in a productive manner since getting a sense of accomplishment solely by consuming elite information is unavailing. We are in an unprecedented time with a tool in front of us which needs to be learnt so that we can use it to benefit ourselves and our lives to the most optimum level.