63. Cherishing Information

Knowledge is the answer to our problems. Knowledge can be defined as information that makes things happen, but how do we know which information will do this? We want more, but how can we know what text, image, or sound will spark a transformational insight? Sometimes, this happens by accident and even through misinterpretation. Identifying the power to make things happen is not straightforward. We must make guesses about what information is important while also encouraging criticism of those guesses. One way of saying, "This is important," is through memorization. Memorization communicates to my subconscious, "I value this, and therefore I am committing it to long-term memory."

I never valued memorization before, maybe because I was not good at it. I am better at thinking from first principles, starting with a general and foundational understanding and working my way up. It is also worth noting that I thought all memorization was mindlessly repeating facts to yourself until they were carved into memory. I later realized that being a first principles thinker does not mean it is a bad idea to have a memory system. So I am experimenting with Anki, a popular spaced repetition system. I tried it a few times before but failed to get the hang of it. My enthusiasm has been renewed after reading about Michael Nielsen’s experiments with memory systems. His personal and meaningful ways of using it sparked the intrinsic value of trying to play with it to improve my memory.

In Anki, I started adding cards of terms from my definitions page and will add synopses of my blog posts. I believe it will help me deepen my understanding and increase the frequency of leaps of insight. Memorization to me is no longer about reiterating information but about my relationship with the information. Just as a photograph captures a cherished moment, these Anki cards remind me of the connections and meaning I have with the information they contain.