How to Keep Yourself from Being Changed by the World

How to Keep Yourself from Being Changed by the World

In a world where almost everything you do seems meaningless, there is still a reason to do them. It's not about changing the world, but rather about not letting the world change you. This sentiment, inspired by Mahatma Gandhi, resonates with many individuals who desire personal growth and transformation while maintaining their own identity.

One way to preserve our identity and protect ourselves from being changed by the world is through knowledge management tools. These tools serve as temporary storage spaces where we can archive and delete consumed content, preventing them from becoming noise and buried links. Matthew Guay, the creator of the writing tool "reproof," explains in his article "Notes apps are where ideas go to die. And that’s good." that we find value in our thoughts and discoveries. The fear of losing something we have spent time and effort on is greater than the desire for gain, as described by Daniel Kahneman in "Thinking, Fast and Slow."

Taking notes is crucial in this process, as it helps us establish our identity. Our identity is often lost in the complexities of our relationships with others or the lack of a coherent history that connects our past and present selves. Logging our thoughts and linking them to our past helps us know and reaffirm who we are. It's like the wristwatch of the protagonist Motoko Kusanagi in the movie "Ghost in the Shell," a tangible external representation of our internal identity.

People have various reasons for wanting to preserve content. They want to remember information, organize it for better understanding and learning, have a reference to quality content, analyze their own thoughts and emotions, and avoid wasting the time and effort they have invested. By analyzing these reasons, we can better understand the motivations behind preserving content: for memorization, learning, reference, self-analysis, and avoiding the waste of effort.

However, the content stored in temporary storage spaces, such as Notion's Capture database, tends to accumulate noise and lacks organization. On the other hand, permanent storage spaces should contain only high-quality, useful information that can be easily accessed. It's essential to filter out the noise and ensure that these spaces provide efficient access to valuable content. Similar to the music curation process in the streaming platform revin, where filters help gather the best music and make it easily accessible for users.

While some individuals can effectively manage both temporary and permanent storage spaces, it often requires a high-level filtering process during content capture or the ability to declutter accumulated content. Recognizing the importance of decluttering is crucial. For example, my Capture database may contain a significant amount of noise, but instead of decluttering it, I should focus on transferring the valuable content to a permanent storage space.

Creating a space for only the best content and knowledge is vital. Minimizing noise and ensuring that only valuable information enters this space is key. This can be seen in the transition from Obsidian's temporary note-taking mode to a more organized permanent storage space. However, caution must be exercised to prevent an overwhelming influx of noise.

When constructing a note galaxy in Roam Research, Dan Shipper discovered that most of our ideas and discoveries have little inherent value. This realization raises concerns about the transition of my notes to Obsidian's permanent storage space. Will they lose their value in the process?

In conclusion, preserving our identity and protecting ourselves from being changed by the world requires effective knowledge management practices. By understanding our motivations for preserving content, filtering out noise, and creating spaces for only valuable information, we can ensure personal growth and development while maintaining our authentic selves. Here are three actionable pieces of advice:

1. Regularly declutter and transfer valuable content from temporary storage spaces to permanent storage spaces.
2. Filter out noise by applying strict criteria when capturing content in temporary storage spaces.
3. Continuously reassess the value of your content and be willing to let go of what no longer serves you.