How Information Makes You Stupid - And What To Do About It

[@alcyonae]

The first 2 min of this video were medicine to my ears. I’m a tenure-track astrophysicist, but I struggled throughout my higher education. We were not taught how to think, we were evaluated based on our ability to reproduce solutions found by other minds. Now that I am a full time researcher, I’m glad that my younger self didn’t give up on my priorities to understand first

[@literarytalha735]

that's cool :)

[@Hello-hello-hello456]

Super commendable achievement!

[@donotreply8979]

It's completely impractical for EVERYONE to be like this guy. Must would end up working at Starbucks.

[@literarytalha735]

@@donotreply8979 yeah, sure.

[@naimreza2]

I am so dumb that i couldn't finish reading your comment. But still wanted to interact ❤

[@catasstrophy]

as someone with a giant to-read list that expands faster than I read, it's really comforting to be reminded that it's not about the quantity of content and books we consume but getting the most out of each one, especially with how the online reading community perpetuates the idea that more is better

[@felix__93]

I even feel "fomo" when I see someone talking about a book that is in my tbr but I haven't the time to touch it. Then I have to remind myself that "I'm busy with other books", and that "I have plenty of time, so just calm down and slow down, it's okay, those books have been around for years and years and not everyone has read them yet".

[@Sabersect2022]

Yeah, it’s so true and reassuring. I always make the most out of things because I think “why would I rush it. I hate it when I rush it. I don’t make any progress or understand anything, and I can’t make it my own - and that’s what I want” (I want to be an author). Well, i’am one💪

[@chiiplays8123]

I also experienced that flooding in booklist that made me really anxious 😭

[@areejimranahmed7042]

For those of you who have a big to read list, you need to understand that books are meant to increase our knowledge and they simultaneously increase our intelligence. Books that are hard require more time to understand than books that are easy( fiction requires more time than non-fiction). So, if it is taking you a lot of time to read a book, then that is great for your brain. I was also initially suffering from the same problem but then i compared that i actually retain more information by slow reading.

[@ande3786]

"Knowledge must be fed to us slowly and carefully, like food cut into manageable bites. Any more than a few lessons in a day will exhaust us unduly." I totally agree with you. I hope that more and more young people will embrace this point of view. You won me over.

[@nylex5206]

Most adults from previous generations don't realize how school just runs away from this concept. This is (most likely to me, anyway) why the majority of the American populace, hell, even people globally, suck at Math. Another reason is that nobody applies the same techniques of learning anything to Math, instead thinking it requires some natural gift to learn and get good at. Schools don't account for different learning abilities. Now, while you can still learn on your own outside of the classroom to help the skill in the classroom, did you consider those who just can't learn in a classroom environment with regurgitated information? What about those who're better at self-education? Those who need more than a week or beyond a month to soak everything within a unit up enough that they fully understand it?

[@ogeo.8966]

​@@nylex5206I agree. I wish I could start a school where the focus was self-learning at one's own pace with periodic 'tests' and not as much homework. If anyone is doing sth like this, reply to this comment cause I'd be happy to get into that.

[@adgaps812]

My takeaway is this: the drive for getting answers asap is due to practicality, and in a way, utility. People want information that is useful and can be applied in their lives, and so they value info that they can benefit from quickly. This also means that learning has to be straightforward and easy to digest. This is also why subjects like humanities are not popular, or if consumed, are done so in a watered down fashion. For most people, learning that cultivates through time is a luxury, only for people with little worries in life. It's a thought that I've been thinking about for the longest time. This is also why I personally like your content. It just stands out in this ocean of self-improvement videos that exalt practicality over anything else. Your channel, in this sense, is a breath of fresh air, something I think we need more of these days.

[@user-on7zd8yi8g]

Well said!

[@bill_jennings]

Allow me to jump in with your comment here, please. I agree with your practicality and utility comments. I would add though, that people are only getting a "rough idea" of the topic, and don't have a full understanding. They develop "talking points" from the headline or short commentary content. There is no deep dive in articles, and if there is, the audience doesn't have the patience to get to the end of it. As for the "time is a luxury" comment, we all have the same amount of hours in a day. It all depends on how we spend them. I can spend mine scrolling through mindless social media, or I can spend it in a book, or journaling, or in a meaningful conversation with someone. That said I'm personally working on limiting my "electronic device" time and focusing more on reading others thoughts and translating them in to my own and putting those on paper. Thanks for allowing me to add to your comment. Have a blessed day.

[@fanatical56]

Very well said and absolutely bang on.

[@helenaduarte60]

Yess, I havent watched his videos for a long Time, agree 100% with your comments

[@fatalblue]

@Bill_Jennings I agree. The idea that learning through time is a luxury is a bit of an illusion. In regards to learning, modern society as a whole is a lot more privileged than they think. Even if you're a min wage worker, you likely have a phone with internet and with that access to a lot of free info. Rather than the question of do you have time?, the actual question is what do you do with it? I would challenge anyone to sit down and write out what they do all day honestly and truly investigate how much "free time" they really have and whether its as little as they think. I believe a lot of ppl would be surprised at how much they have (regardless of how busy their life is) and how much is spent consuming fluff. It's possible to enjoy the pleasure of learning something with time, even a limited amount, if you're willing and I say this with all the understanding that for those with many responsibilities and worries, it's not easy to do because the type of learning needed for true understanding does require a level of effort and focus that can be hard to cultivate after a exhausting 9-5 or dealing with school work and job. Still challenging is not impossible. I myself struggle with this, but try nevertheless, and I'm actually happier for it!

[@RenataSantos-qw4pz]

I believe that the biggest challenge today is to reduce hyperstimulation. Everything that stimulates our immediate gratification to exhaustion is, in my opinion, extremely harmful to our cognitive capacity.

[@SevenUnwokenDreams]

I like to spend two hours a day without digital technology. In this time I mostly read, and then journal about what I've read. I've been making it a point to ask a lot of questions whenever I'm reading a book, and while this does slow down my reading, it's very much quality time. After a book I like to ask myself what I took from it, and then journal about that. I'm much more selective now about what I read, and getting better at figuring out what books are right for me.

[@Yesica1993]

I love this! I may have to consider implementing something similar. As much as I love technology, I think it's driving us all a bit insane.

[@Sky-cl1rq]

I actually do something similar with technology. To stop myself from just binging on documentaries or interesting videos I make myself write down the things ive learned in a little journal, which helps me pick better videos and actually remember the things I've watched; and since I value quality a lot more now, I've cut down on my screen time significantly.

[@Bea-ht8zn]

I love this idea. I often have loads of questions while reading but haven’t quite come up the best way to explore them without a screen (e.g.notes app). As someone who gets insane eye glare from my job, trying out your method sounds like exactly what I need. Thanks for sharing.

[@magicknight13]

I really like this! Good for you for doing this and I think I would like to try it

[@joqahtani]

As someone that loves detailed, long-winded, slow-paced novels I find it disheartening that I can no longer have the meticulous attention and crafted patience to read through doorstopper books in my TBR. Mainstream fast-paced YA books and social media with its info-dump practices has turned my attention span to mush.

[@nnjack9931]

Agree

[@SpacemanTheo]

Perhaps you need to look at it differently. Why is it that youre going for the 'fast pace YA? Perhaps it's not because it's easy, but because there's a community in reading those books. I had the same problem but once I got pulled into reading Howl's Moving Castle with a group and we ended up reading The Lord of the Rings after that. As big of a reader I was I couldn't get through LotR by myself no matter what I did, but with a group I could actually digest it. Sometimes you have to take a different approach to a problem, and the best way to do that is by remembering that humans are social creatures as well as problem solvers. Bring together a group facing the same problem and you'll get not only through it but also understand it from different perspectives. Reading novels was seen as a social activity way back and it's now in a state being both socially passive and solitary in a personal sense.

[@tansytansy]

reallll my fav book used to be 'moby dick or the white whale' just because of how grotesque and detailed it seemed (e g there was a whole chapter in it dedicated to white colour). i definitely need to get off the memes and go back to my childhood bookworm mode lol

[@baronvonbrunn8596]

A human brain doesn´t really have a general atention span, it wildly varies based on how much effort it sees as worth it. Most importantly it also stimulates it´s "user" to go after the easiest dopamine, like social media, though it´s so bad at this that often something as simple as turning the phone off or going into a different room can make it stop bothering you about it.

[@Aleatoire9]

I'm 31, and have two English degrees - when I was a kid I'd naturally spend hours with texts but as I got older, tech got faster, so when I got to my masters degree I felt such immense pressure to always already know things that reading became a huge source of anxiety for me. I was always scared it would "take too long," so often wouldn't bother reading the text at all. My grades survived but I have been trying to re-learn the skill of sinking in ever since.

[@Aleatoire9]

To that end, my essay process used to be: handwrite everything on paper (with loose notes on where to add in citations); type up what was on paper, add citations, and edit as I went. Loved it. Again, felt immense pressure to be "faster," so eventually dropped the paper step entirely. Was a really difficult adjustment and honestly, probably took longer in the end!

[@MemoreeLanee]

Robin, I just want to say you really have helped me become a more careful thinker and more mindful person with your videos. People like you are needed in this societal climate.

[@honeycheesechips]

Fucking love this, thanks man. “Just because you know a lot, doesn’t mean that you understand them”, this phrase always stuck in my head after I read it somewhere. And when you said it I was like “fucking real, so true.”

[@noreenebostick9593]

Growing up since a little girl, I wanted to be a singer/ entertainer. That desire has never changed. I am 66 years, seven months and 16 days as of my comments. For over two decades I was behind the scenes learning digital audio, video, music, photo, data technology doing it myself aka being a DIM. The analog versions of those areas were experiences via school training, hands on, observation and reading. Being behind the scenes allowed me to own and operate an audio, video, music, photo, data technology business doing various sorts of skills. Operating as a recording studio engineer allowed me to create original, copyrighted songs doing the instrumentals and lead and background harmonies. Learning how to operate photo and video equipment allowed me to have customers doing weddings, funerals, live music shows, real estate video ads, parties of various sorts, live seminars and so much more. While doing technology for others had me put aside my own lifelong desire, the longer I waited, the more creative juices flowed within me. It is never too late to live out one’s desires. The thought process and journey was an adventure in itself. The joy within seeing positive visions and experiencing many happy moments were just as great as the end result. I managed to buy all the equipment to do live shows which ended up being utilized being used for other people with their endeavors. So many behind the scene lessons I learned working with others. Still having my own originality and uniqueness I still cherish. Patience has allowed me to wait while still enjoying the moments of having emotions that were pleasant and sad. Moments of just wanting to give up as well as keep on keeping on. Afterall, the desires from childhood just kept getting more real and close. If it is in God’s plan to let me have a live show, that in itself is a even greater accomplishment. If not, I am still ok with the outcome. So much has been learned doing technology especially for my personal life necessities. The digital data aspect has allowed me to handle all of my affairs confidently, accurately, and professionally. I have no regrets waiting and being patient. Thanks for reading my comments. Smiles

[@magalidetcheverry3467]

Thank you for this video ! I will share it with my friends who are genuinely distressed when they take more than a week to finish a book ( I'm still reading War and Peace and I began reading it in january 😅). The paradox that strikes me is that, in the Renaissance ou Middle Ages, people were dying of almost everything below thirty and they took their time ! I mean, they were building cathedrals that they would not see, not even their grandchildren and still, they started it. Today, we have plenty of lifetime (in good health) and we are speeding as if we're going to die tomorrow but without the depth of understanding, without letting the books take root in us. We read books or watch things as if it was a kind of bucketlist we need to do before dying. It's like what I call "Japanese holidays" when I see hords of Japanese (and tourists in general) spending three days somewhere and speeding through ALL the touristic places, taking hundreds of photographs and leaving 15 minutes later.... I don't want that for me or my reading life. Even if I die tomorrow and I'm not finished with Tolstoi, that's not a a problem, I read the first book of War and Peace carefully enough ( or so I think 😉). Why can't people just slow down about reading, and everything else ?

[@r.m.montano7413]

The youngest philosopher I know strikes again. Cheers for your insights Robin. Personally, your videos have been very important for me to consider my own perspective of the world, and now that I'm about to start University in august, I really am thankful for the valuable lessons and essays you've written these last two years. P.S.: I've been applying your reading suggestions and methods to survive my reading of Victor Hugo's "Les Misérables". It really is making those 1300 pages feel like bliss. (I'm reading it in French btw)

[@luisa146]

Wow. I thought i was cool because I've read Les Misérables. Now I know I'm not because I've only read it in my first language and not in french even though I'm learning it lol

[@r.m.montano7413]

@@luisa146 Well friend, I'll tell you this, no matter the language in which you read it, that is quite a difficult book to read. And I just finished the first half since I started in January. Also, I find it amazing that someone besides me has read it. Did you like it?

[@mavywavy801]

As Humanities major, I learn new things with this degree everyday and its a constant deep dive of immense information. While some information is fun for me to learn and grow from, others like learning the history of English language is challenging and requires a lot more intensive reading. I’ll forever be haunted with the year 1066 for sure lmao.

[@mudzee.]

Discovered your channel today through your video on "How to Get The Most Out of a Book". I've binged a few of your videos now and i'm hooked! Your video on how to understand philosophical writing was both informative and engaging; something I believe only comes from a thorough understanding on a topic/discipline. Keep it up, I see 500k subs around the corner!

[@andreasmangeng4307]

Just beautifull. Motivates me again to, as they say in german "Die Spreu vom Weizen zu trennen", thus "to seperate the wheat from the chaff" and concentrate more deeply on the things I am really interested in, instead of getting served fastfood things, which only fills the brain up fully without leaving fullfilling content.

[@lacthetomato]

I literally come from finishing all my math courses and realizing that I know nothing about maths, just because of this problem. I'm glad we now have the opportunity and resources like your channel to really stop and take the time to be guided by our curiosity

[@finik1713]

I recently read Byung-Chul Han's books on the evils of information, and it really gave me the idea to write essays about certain things on paper and give myself the freedom to think more slowly. I also want to say thank you for your video essays!

[@nr1877]

this is my personal experience of how my parents (accidentally) make my span of attention longer and can absorb a single information to affect my life. since i was around 3 or 4, my family has an agenda to spend sunday nights: coming to a mosque and listen to our religion lecture there. it's not about religion. my parents make me sit and listen, just like an adult. but when some of adults take notes, my mom gives me a notebook too so i can write and draw or do anything i like as long as i'm listening. and i really listening. other kids are allowed to play like that big mosque is a playground. my parents told me to wait and think about what the lecture says and i can play with friends when the lecture is done. after that, on our car back to home, my parents invite me to discuss what we just listen. from that 30 minutes - 2 hours lecture (of course with rest), as a kid i ask my parents issues that i'm curious with. they also ask me about my opinion for things, and lastly we make conclusion from the lecture and evaluate our life through its lens. i'm not always like that tho, i'm still a normal kid, sometimes play and ignoring the lecture or simply sleep due to boredom :) but still, that habit shockingly shape me now: i am more able to be present, take small things in life to appreciate and learn deeply about. there's not a problem for me listen to long advice and take time to think about it even longer. i feel like it kinda makes me not struggling at school too? imo maybe raising a child to pay attention to something that doesn't rapidly changes in seconds (like scrolling) on a daily basis would help.

[@selcouth461]

Thankyou for speaking about this cognitive part of the brain.."understanding" ,rather than simply gaining information in this info era abounded with smart phones or instant info and thereby quenching the thirst of one's unspoken wonder .

[@partiallynever]

Im a modern vicitm of mass media, diagnosis ADHD. I find myself wanting to engage in all forms of intellectual studies, to just read the day away and think. Yet often i go onto Instagram and KZbin and just scroll those short videos, sometimes for as long as an hour, i "absorb" those information and don't think or learn about them.I often tell my partner a fact or story from those videos, his answer is almost always "And then?" he has that sense of deeper engagement, to find out things behind it. It's something i really envy neurotypical people for. I want to change that and also delve deeper into topics. I started watching your videos a few days ago, it really sparked that yearning of knowledge in me and a hope that i lacked in. especially because a month ago i decided to quit my job to go back to school, i wasn't happy in my limited field and hope to find a sense in what I'm doing. Coming from a working class family, it was engrained in me, that i will never be able to follow my passions, i want to prove them wrong.

[@vedaaaa]

okay, this makes a LOT of sense. up until 3 years ago i was a brilliant student, but now i can barely concentrate for more than 6-7 mins at a stretch. even if i delete all distracting things on my phone, i'll find myelf phubbing on it for absolutely no reason and engaging in mindless things like opening my gallery, my phonebook and what not. when i do sit to study, i take more than 3-4 hours to do a chapter which would normally take maybe an hour at max. the reason for that is that i take sooooo many breaks throughout that session which was supposed to be a single sitting that i end up losing all motivation altogether. i used to LOVE reading books but i haven't picked one up in months! even if i try, i can't get past the initial 3-4 pages, and that is honestly shameful for someone who used to NEVER leave a book midway. ever. even when it comes to reading tweets or memes or articles, i find myself rushing to the end as i simply cannot convince myself to read patiently. ooof!

[@nuxvomica21]

The problem as I see it is easily accessible information often comes with the lack of experience having acquired such information. This explains why so many people are "netsmart" but get dumbfounded the moment something doesn't go according to plan. Experience is everything 😊

[@МихайлоБерча-ч9с]

it is very impotrant - think very deeply , understand what you realized , what you seeking in those article and how you can apply this for your life and your job ) and especially for your past .

[@ilmet17]

I'm an Italian student of a catholic liceo (high school), and my professor of literature really has this concept of "studia humanitatis" that she wants to teach us. We spent 3 years studing the Dante's Commedia and some times it can be really frustrating to spend so much time on a single poem but at the end you can really feel to have understood a piece of it. Unfortunately there isn't enough time to focus in the same way to everything and we had to do study only superficially many other authors of relevance. However I'm convinced that the aim of the school shouldn't be to teach facts but a method and (even if I don't completely agree with this concept) to shape a "forma mentis" in the students. The school shouldn't be for the society but for the individual. I'm really thankful to had the possibility of a good education in philosophy and humanities in my early course of study and I'll forever be shaped by it

[@mitsuoandre3973]

This channel was one of the best discoveries of the last months! Thank you!

[@Angelica-dx2sr]

I love that this video is not focused on an obvious thought like "scrolling is bad", but provides us with a deeper understanding of this complex problem which now seem to be not a modern invention. Thank you so much! Sorry for any mistakes, English is my second language

[@엉덩이먹는사람]

this hits hard, I learn physics through articles (obviously from a good resource, going in depth one concept at a time) instead of going to the whole ass 1000 pages book and spending 2 months reading it, the thought of doing the latter is alien to me, I've tried to study from books, but I just lose interest in one week and can't keep going, the articles approach has been the greatest solution I've found, but still it shows the lack of self control and need for novelty that we all suffer from

[@sidrasaniajaved1828]

I started to take this topic very seriously when I was in my high school that human being are changing into information storage devices instead of becoming problem solvers ...and off course school has the biggest 100 yard hand in this parents as well.... Well I am quite satisfied that I came to know about this problem very early age and know going on the right track and being guided by the "problem solvers" Thanks a lot Robin❤✨

[@edboss36]

All your videos are like mini books. Amazing!

[@indigo_diary]

"It is better to know one book intimately than a hundred superficially." ― Donna Tartt, The Secret History

[@LifeLessonsFromBooks]

Very true. Thanks for this video. I loved the philosopher’s teaching style and how learning should happen. Over the Easter break, I spent most of it just reading - no tech. Morning to night reading and it was bliss. Slow learning. 😅

[@ArthurAgamenon_]

I can really relate having to solve problems that don't have a quick nor easy answer (or even easy question) that I just could solve after years of studying and reflection.

[@SealMeall]

Something I almost always do, is to discuss some main point from the book (or whatever) with my interpersonal relationships, this way I get to reflect onto the book in ways my brain wouldn't normally have come to [this is because: thinking is wired a way that it shortens words and processes to come to a brisk conclusion]. When we talk we have to break down exactly what we want to communicate, therefore we make ourselves rethink to reassure. Another thing I do is to discuss the same points with my intrapersonal relationship, this is a good way to relive the moments/thought-processes for myself so that I can find flaws within myself or within the books, that needs some clarification; "maybe I didn't get it right, or maybe the book didn't?" Short answer: after reading I will accompany my interpersonal and intrapersonal relationships, with the purpose and attention of enlighten these aspects of reading; in a way, nurturing my newborn ideas.

[@rodrigocarvalho6426]

I'd say that deep reading is what can unlock the parts of your brain that are able to contemplate a certain matter and change your perspective of the world. The pleasure that I get from being totally immersed in a book, reading each line with my whole heart, paying attention to the connection the words make with each other, really being able to appreciate and comprehend what the author is trying to transmit is immense and is of inestimable value.

[@UnrivaledUnderTheHeaven5481]

i totally agree with you, for the past 2 years i have not read many numbers of books(like 4 books) instead some books many times and they have transformed my thinking pattern. one of that book is Meditations and Shortness of life by Epictetus

[@armandaneshjoo]

Understanding is not about attention, time spent on thinking, critical thinking, etc. It is about not missing the big picture. When you find that picture, all you learn in school, at work, or in the news fall in place.

[@sinsoull]

I like how you're changing your content from books, intresting 👏🏼

[@patriot5526]

The Bible says that the meek shall inherit the earth. Meek doesn’t mean weak. Meek means people who are patient, people who are thinkers and learners, people who are not necessarily outspoken, but are wise and thoughtful, and through this process, become the most powerful people on Earth.

[@hannegeyik]

Recently, I'm reading this book of French philosopher Micheal Onfray, Teoria del Viaje. It's such a short book but it has a lot of good points to contain. So, after I read this book, I realized that I should engage with it more. While it hasn't been long yet I started to read again, but this time with a pen in my hand and a notebook in front. Right now, I write down the parts of the book I'm impressed with. Using that method, according to what you pointed out, I'm spending more time with a book to really comprehend.

[@nurakmalapriliyandi9068]

to bankrupt a fool, give him information -Nassim Taleb. As 21 y/o, I've always limit my phone screen, never engage with daily news (to much noise)-- even my mother watching news, i leave her on sitting room. Information today is really toxic for human being, our ancient only get information when the neighborhood got funeral.

[@JC-vy1do]

Thank you for providing an article on this topic. i have felt that comprehension requires me to exactly what you cited. It makes me feel less crazed that others notice the difference in attention amongst persons. I have alot of time and isolation, which made it unclear at times whether my observation was clear sighted. I am subrscribing to your channel.

[@Misana]

I love that you created this video.

[@TheArtisticExperience]

Love this. I definitely struggle with attention, but I do hate the quick fix. Particularly hate and see no point in those apps that provide summaries of books. Because for me, the experience of reading the book is part of the transformative power of it, whether I'm reading fiction or non-fiction. I have ADHD, so even with that distaste for "getting to the point", I still struggle with the focus, and I'm certainly not as ascetic as you are, Robin, with my reading - and I don't mean that pejoratively. I do still read several books at once, but I am trying more and more to allow myself to take time when needed with denser texts. I have been reading Foucault's The Order of Things for several months, for example, and I'm only about halfway through. But some lighter texts I am relatively quick to finish. One day, I would really like to get out of the "quantity" mindset and just make sure that the time I spend with a book extracts a lot out of it. I also liked hearing about the French educator (didn't quite catch the name). I am definitely trying to cultivate a philosophy in my own life about not looking for answers, but just looking and thinking. Focusing on the journey and not the destination, I suppose. Thanks.

[@Marcus-xt9zh]

This was a great and insightful video. It touches the most overlooked topic of our times in my opinion. Thanks! Being 52 now and being an avid reader all my life, I agree with everything you are saying. The book that really made me "think" was the "Brothers Karamasow". I have read it 3x and I can highly recommend it because of the aspects you have mentioned.

[@june-again]

the similarity between the photos of the obsessive newspaper reading and our current obsessive phone usage was striking

[@Happynappyroots96]

I’ve just subscribed to your channel,your videos are like a breath of fresh air. I am starting to read more but I am learning how to digest it better and take my time with comprehending what I’ve just read and just learning to read what I love. It’s nice to hear someone reminding me to do this, Thanks for the video ❤

[@mohannadalaini]

This video said lots of thoughts about what I was thinking about lately

[@vildan2532]

6.30 I wanted to add that they didn’t let the students read a book and then jump to an other to learn a lot, but let them go deeper in a few books through reading it again and again. I think this is also important because the understanding differs with every revision. You go deeper as you digest it slowly and don’t stay superficial.

[@aihamelofairi8977]

Thanks for this nice reminder of prioritising quality over quantity ! I have studied one book of Simone Weil this year called " La Condition Ouvrière" I would really love you sharing the sources where you have found her teaching methods.

[@fatalblue]

In all you're getting, get understanding. This is a paraphrase of proverb 4:7 and the motto of the church I go to (and probably the reason I favor teachers or prechers). The acquisition of knowledge can be quick, the understanding often not so much. It does take time. Time many believe they don't have but actually likely do if they sit down and truly evaluate what they do in a day. Quality over quantity and consuming information you desire in small, managable pieces is good advice!

[@moon_lover01]

Hello .I'm watching your videos these days ...they are all useful to me and helping me with reading.

[@jesusloveskayla]

I just wanna say this really opened my mind, especially when it comes to reading, when I was younger I would spend so much time with one book and I would really enjoy it more now that I’m older I just want to read and get to the next popular book to read just to say I read it. Thank you smm

[@mdhughes78]

Robin your videos on reading are great

[@JAB-wq5wd]

I know me. There's no book on that subject but my own likes and dislikes through my experiences. That's all I need to know and understand; that's enough for me to be happy and content. All I have to be is me

[@リコ-e2h]

This is our current problem with the massive development of technology which made everything fast . For me as an English student , I wanted to learn vocabulary and read books as much as I can to tell my colleagues about my achievement because they say they could finish many books in a short time . The process of obliging myself to read as much as I can ignoring the essential goal of reading caused me such an agony and depression . What we need is to be patient in acquiring the information , and be patient of the learning process as a hole . Knowledge and learning are like a meal , we have to take our time in chewing and regalig every bit and then swallow it so we can enjoy it the most.

[@jiayihuang6137]

I am a second-year undergrad. I got to the point of realising much of my energies are wasted in short pieces and huge amount of information and how I lost the ability to read with sustained attention. I’ve been trying to regain my intention by simply using a portable journal and a pen so I can always remind myself what to do and think for now and only focuses on this one before moving on to the next.

[@TamannaChandel-ym1bq]

Hi Robin. I absolutely loved your video essay. My strategies (most of them have been confirmed by you) have always been about training myself to be hyper aware. Its like, i pay attention to what I am reading and why. I have drilled in my head that I have to justify spending time on something to someone, and little by little it has made me realise how often j get wayward and get distracted. And I never really do anything for more than 15 mins, but that's because I have crippling procrastination tendencies. So yeah, that's me. Again, absolutely fantastic essay. And now I will go read the full version on substack. Thank you very much.

[@dacet.9675]

Reading KJV Bible every day is slowly curing me of dopamine hit mentality. But that works only if you read in belief with the help of Holy Spirit. The Book is alive! And the Word is healing. Have a blessed day!

[@dacet.9675]

@@trinitym5552 search for types and shadows, Genesis is full of them ! Good luck in treasure hunt!

[@dacet.9675]

@@markvictor8776 it's true. Look into the history of the so called Catholic "church" and what they've done to hinder the Bible from people. And most ppl don't read it even today, when it's available for everyone, at least in the western world.

[@Forceprincess]

Yes!!!❤

[@andremember]

Incredibly based

[@natachasira5564]

try reading Qauran, it is recognized that it has never been changed and is Implying all the previous holly books messages u won't regret and is ur only solution, cut off the way to the truth

[@in-ww2yn]

Wow this is the first time I hear about this topic and I'm too glad that I did because lately I only understand my lessons on KZbin videos ignoring my teacher's lessons well since I no longer use social media my concentration is good and I can watch long videos but from now on I decided to understand my studies way deeper and slower, thank you man you really helped the student me

[@bill_jennings]

Anymore, if they message can't be conveyed to the audience in 30-60 seconds, they will move on to something else. And I never considered the newspaper and people's obsession with reading them everywhere all the time. Those old photos you showed could easily have been taken today, just replace the paper with a smartphone! I like your point at 5:55. As for a book that everyone should immerse into their lives, I'd suggest Dale Carnegie's "How to win friends and influence people". If everyone would only incorporate half of what he suggests in that book, what a nice place this would be. Good message Robin, as usual.

[@tatianagonzalez4578]

I think that's a good point, but it's also important to create a balance between the current contexts; like you, maybe you take advantage of social media to pursue your point of view, but maybe you also take of your time to engage with a specific material or topic. But you address a very interesting topic. My suggestion is to also contrast your point of view in real life, it is important to debate face to face to cultivate your sensitivity and get out of the booklet.

[@faitavecamour-zl]

i look forward to your videos so much thank you as always 💕

[@claritasfragments]

As always, your videos always arrive at the PERFECT time. I'm thankful that you share your insights, it gives me such good thinking conversations starters

[@samaalhashim8010]

Very Inspiring!

[@pluezilvlk8427]

Merci d'avoir parlé de Simone Weil ❤️

[@GaiatheSage]

what an excellent video I have noticed these things myself and that's why I have been countering my chatgpt use by reading physical books. I have also applied harold bloom's secondhand illiteracy theory into the field of film theory to help bridge knowledge gaps it's quite interesting.

[@Degastheeftmachtpodcast]

The introduction Dostojevski wrote for his book "the brothers karazmakov" has the same approach, he first tells us why he likes the main character of the book so much and then goes on to explain you probably think it's a useless introduction, why not begin already and cut the bullshit? Wheras he responds this is what will happen throughout the book as well. You need the context to really dig deeper into a subject philosophy or story i think, wich in this case is all of the three.

[@AliFarooq-ce8pz]

It's my aspiration to evolve into an educated thinker and a respected individual. My educational environment comprises instructors who rely on corporal or verbal punishment to enforce maximum "Knowledge" retention. I struggle to grasp the true essence of Knowledge and its relevance to our lives as human beings. I feel out of place among my peers who prioritize jobs, careers, and merely meeting academic requirements to obtain a degree and secure a job, all in the pursuit of being deemed "responsible." According to my parents, as the eldest child, I am expected to look after my siblings in their absence. I find myself perplexed and in need of guidance to navigate through the complexities of this world, including my family, peers, society, education system, and the personal struggles that hinder my self-improvement.

[@andrewgupta9836]

I'm reading a book (alternating between fiction and non-fiction) from a different part of the globe until I circle again to where I first started. The aim is expanded my understanding of the world from different perspectives, instead of just reading American and British authors.

[@alias_peanut]

Its like Dunning Kruger for me when you distraction it doesn't bother me. Now i matured hopefully it pains me when i get distracted.

[@qwertyzz7]

Based and Artpilled. 10/10

[@Aleatoire9]

I always thought Victorians would love cellphones - there is a lot in common between their time and ours. Including proliferation (of everything). Imagine though if what we read on our phones left a paper trail all around the places we visited! 😅

[@robertpaulsimpson6266]

Very insightful talks from you sir. I appreciate your perspective on study and education!

[@magicknight13]

Absolutely love and really appreciate your channel, thank you so much

[@dydx_]

6:20 reminds me of the Koan practice in Zen within early Japan. Disciples where given these koans (as they are called), meant to think about, ruminate, and then answer. Often requiring many years as the answer the masters had seeked where not ones one could arrive at on logical basis. Sorta essentially, it's all about forcing an entire different mode of perception/cognition/observation/et cetera. The most famous one is probably the koan about the sound of one hand clapping. Many of them have been preserved in the Blue Cliff Records, which documented interactions between ZenMasters and disciples. This one is a great example (Ummon = A zen master of the era somewhere during the years of 800-1000 I believe): A monk asked Ummon: "What is the teaching that transcends the Buddha & patriarchs?" Ummon said: "A sesame bun."

[@shrutigautam9712]

This is a very true video and i was able to relate to it soo well...like some ans or gaps that i kinda felt while uk getting info n stuff like personally iam a uni student and the fact that i try to gain the amount of knowledge from the net even though i understand i dont thing i have been able to remember it for longer , and even when i talk w students around me i feel like i have read all this info and watched vids yet im not able to channel it while commmunicating . IT WAS A GREAT VIDEO - LOVING THE CONTENT U R POSTING

[@heretochewthefat2694]

our boy is a definite ENTP 5w4 Sanguine. Change my mind☕

[@marsaaas]

As someone who reads one book I liked for 25 times. I agree with that ideas. I find something new in ME and in a book too every time I read it again. Even if I read it really slowly and carefully with all my heart and mind for the first 2-3 times!! (I don't really know English so hope my comment is understandable I try not to use translators much now)

[@helenaduarte60]

Great video!

[@toro7337]

"Don't tell me how many books have you read, but rather how many lines have you understood"~~Anis Mansour

[@karimmostafa948]

Hey Robin, great video ( like always ). may I ask you a favour? Do you mind doing a video on how to avoid distractions? Please, it would be very useful nowadays (in college, for example)

[@lorna_ovlov240]

What I do to limit the information wave is for example I turned off all notifications except for iMessages and calls and I set a timer for each social media app. I used to use all of them for over an h a day and now my limits are just 5 min so I don’t get fludded with all those infos and if I want to know something I get I thought radio when I drive or hear it from my work colleagues

[@FABIOh1976]

Excellent speaking skills. Good topics on your channel.

[@MrJK162]

I wonder how we can know what information is valuable and that we should invest enough time into it to really know the information. We are so surrounded by information that we can be paralized by choice, and most of it is junk. On KZbin, most of the content is just devoid of any meaning. Even the creators I like and admire the most might only create one or two thoughtful and engaging videos. I do enjoy being able to just sit with a book and take time really engage with the ideas, but knowing what books to spend that amount of time on can be a challenge in itself

[@Maja-ft9kv]

I think that if teachers would have the time to teach me why certain mathematical equations are the way they are and why i need to know them, i would've liked math. Instead i was just told to memorize the formula and solve the problem. But why do I do that? I need a motivation to have the desire to solve something

[@jmarquardt28]

The proposed solution to dive deep rather than skim the surface is excellent and applies, obviously, to books. Keeping in mind Neil Postman's argument in the book "Amusing Ourselves to Death" and Marshall McLuhan"s famous "the medium is the message", I am curious what you have to say about KZbin as it is, in part, a popular and influential information source. Your own channel has 190 videos, the longest being a 23-minute segment on what you learned after spending a week with Descartes' Meditations, a very dense text with often tortuous prose. Thank you.

[@ellywinchester2154]

"Information does not equal understanding" I would love to go back and tell that all of my not-so-great teachers haha

[@zf9527]

basically, let the knowledge marinate G

[@RCWaldun]

Brilliant summary. 👌🏻

[@VarunKumar-pz5si]

Wonderfull ❤❤❤

[@americanbookdragon]

I wanted to know one thing. Where did Britain get all that opium for the opium wars? My friend told me: India! I thought that made sense. But by no means did I believe that came to some sort of understanding on the opium wars. I just want to know more about that topic. So, I’ve gathered 5 books about the opium wars to read. I don’t particularly think that’s overkill. Take any subject and read five books on it, and they are all vastly different books. That’s how I think people should approach information, but I don’t think it’s a common approach. 😅

[@heycristian8329]

Man I love your videos ❤

[@romulosouzasantos8711]

That's a great video, but my question is: Do all informations need that time of engagement?

[@SpacemanTheo]

I laugh as a neuro divergent brain that hyper and obsessivly fixates on certain information I also cry because it's impossible to truely control what I fixate on.

[@spaceroyalty4158]

Ironically I watched the video because I don’t currently have the attention span for the article

[@JohnPatrickWeiss]

As I’m listening to this, my wife is laughing loudly at a TikTok video of some guy playing his trumpet in a bowl of jello. From sustained immersion reading ancient texts to trumpets in jello. I fear for humanity.😂

[@RCWaldun]

I’m with you man. 😂

[@bambangprasetio827]

we are not machines, we cant consume information as fast as machine. it is okay to take time to digest information. we are at point at that we forget how humanly that. how sad modern life can be. we just addicted to speed and quantity when there is always more than that.

[@arisu229]

I'm a solution finding machine.✍️

[@valtersouza3282]

Now I feel a little worried that I watched this video in 2x speed

[@Jazzy4612]

I hope this makes any sense whatsoever, and I have the sinister, vague feeling that this is a slight branch off the topic 😒😒I deeply respect you if you have the ATTENTION span to get to the end of this comment.😁😁 I believe that although everything has a different solution, the process of information evaluation and observation is usually the same. This is why I believe in the importance of taking in the entirety of a certain sphere of information, or even just a little bit more than the quick summary of the 'plot'. While the condensed summary of information is sometimes very helpful, (i.e. the backs of DVDs, reels, Quora, summaries of pieces of entertainment/art and basic marketing/advertising descriptions), I still find it very limiting sometimes. The emphasis in processes throughout our life such as school, family life, work, and even entertainment is the idea that 'getting the problem right is the all-important and imperative thing', when the actual function/how shall I say 'formula'/identifying process of the given problem is even more important and will be one of the biggest aspect of mature, humane decision making and critical thinking, and possibly have more vital importance in dire times, like maybe warfare, or what not. I agreed when you mentioned the importance of being in touch with the root of the problem, and the positive effect that has on the solution. Exponential technological and cultural advancement has left people under the misconception that (1.) we now have a vastly different and(or) wholly unrelated set of problems than before, and (2.) that the emphasis should be placed on the speedy solutions. My belief is that humans are humans, and will always be, therefore their sets of problems will always be related, and therefore getting in touch with the root of whatever sphere of information you prioritize will benefit not only the decision-making process, but future humanity. This is what many groundbreaking thinkers/philosophers have up on us, where if you are one who merely cares for the quick gratification of impulsive curiosity, you essentially make in nowhere, and it's like figuring out how to use a calculator in algebra rather than how the formulas and equations work. Also, I loved when you mentioned honing in on one text, or basic minimalism in information intake. Funnily enough, when I reread a text/book, it has always been on accident. When I read Dostoyevsky's "The Brothers Karamazov", I read it five times in succession, and since I was fifteen, I really had no idea that there where resources, online or not, where I could read a quick summary of the plot and moral point of the text. So when I 'manually':) let it seep in this way, I was ORIGIONALLY learning it, and I now have a larger and fuller clod of information to evaluate than I would otherwise, and in this thinking process, I possibly streamlined my information evaluation skills more than I would have had I read someone else's quick summary. What are your thoughts? It would be wonderful to see a video on what you think the importance and positive implications are from knowing the root of information.