Weekly Dose of Optimism #28: Finding Value in Forgetting

Weekly Dose of Optimism 28: Finding Value in Forgetting

America has long been recognized as a hub of innovation and scientific research, and a significant contributing factor to this success is its history of welcoming immigrants with open arms. It has provided a strong foundation for immigrants to pursue their ambitions and make significant contributions to academia and various fields. In fact, research has shown that migrants are twice as likely to be employed in academia as mathematicians compared to individuals from the same country who did not migrate. This highlights the immense impact that immigration has had on the intellectual landscape of the United States (Agrawal et al, 2023).

However, not all journeys to pursue academic endeavors in the United States have yielded the same results. Fulbright requirements, for example, have been associated with a significant decline in publications and citations received. Researchers who left the United States due to these requirements experienced a staggering 65% reduction in publications and a substantial decrease of almost 80% in high-impact journal publications (Kahn and MacGarvie, 2016). This raises questions about the challenges faced by migrants in navigating the complex landscape of academic research in a new country.

Shifting gears, let's explore the fascinating concept of note-taking and its impact on our ability to remember and retain information. Notes apps, notebooks, and bookmarking tools have become our go-to solutions for storing ideas, thoughts, and findings. However, the true value of these tools lies not in their ability to help us remember, but rather in their capacity to help us forget. When we write things down, we are essentially insuring our ideas for the future, allowing ourselves to let go of the burden of remembering every detail.

Interestingly, our tendency to attribute value to our thoughts and findings often leads us to hoard them, fearing their loss. This phenomenon, known as loss aversion, is deeply ingrained in our biology. Our response to losses is inherently stronger than our response to gains, as it has been evolutionarily advantageous for organisms to prioritize threats over opportunities. This misplaced loss aversion traps us in a cycle of attempting to remember everything, ultimately overwhelming our cognitive capacity and hindering our ability to focus on what truly matters (Kahneman, 2011).

To break free from this cycle, we must learn to embrace forgetting. It is essential to feel safe in the knowledge that our memories and ideas have not been in vain, and that they will be there for us if we ever need them again. This sense of security allows us to let go and create space for new ideas and discoveries. Flipping through old notes may initially feel like sifting through stale garbage, as Dan Shipper discovered after building an extensive repository of notes in Roam Research. However, this realization is a necessary step towards recognizing that many of our ideas and findings hold little intrinsic value on their own (Shipper, 2020).

It is easy to blame the tools and techniques we use for our inability to extract meaning from our notes and thoughts. We often find ourselves searching for the next best app or system that promises to revolutionize our note-taking experience. Yet, the truth is that no tool or technique can compensate for the inherent transience of our ideas. We must accept that seeking the "perfect" solution is a futile endeavor and instead focus on the process of letting go and embracing the inevitability of forgetting (Shipper, 2020).

So, how can we make the most of our note-taking practices and find value in forgetting? Here are three actionable pieces of advice:

• 1. Embrace simplicity: Rather than constantly seeking new tools and apps, simplify your note-taking process. Stick to a system that works for you and resist the temptation to adopt every new feature or organizational method. Remember that the true value of note-taking lies in the act of forgetting, not in the complexity of the system you use.

• 2. Cultivate reflection: Instead of mindlessly accumulating notes and ideas, take the time to reflect on their significance. Set aside dedicated moments to revisit your old notes and consider whether they still hold meaning for you. This practice will help you identify the truly valuable insights and discard the rest, freeing up mental space for new discoveries.

• 3. Embrace imperfection: Recognize that not every idea or finding needs to be preserved indefinitely. Embrace the impermanence of your notes and allow yourself to let go of those that no longer serve a purpose. By doing so, you create room for growth and new ideas to flourish.

In conclusion, the pursuit of innovation and academic excellence has been greatly influenced by immigration in the United States. However, the challenges faced by migrants in academia highlight the importance of a supportive and inclusive environment for all researchers. Moreover, our note-taking practices should be seen as a means of letting go rather than a tool for remembering everything. By embracing forgetting, simplifying our processes, cultivating reflection, and embracing imperfection, we can find value in our ideas and make room for new ones to thrive.