Information Overload: A System for Better Managing Everyday Data

Chapter 8. THE INFORMATION BRAIN

Our brain helps us really forget information. It is a defense mechanism, but sometimes a nuisance when you try to find something you once remembered. It does help to simply allow less information into your brain. Select the subjects in which you are interested and wish to be an expert. This chapter teaches you which information to allow in your brain, how to better select in advance, and how to remove afterward.

SEARCH AND FIND

We often say: "If only we knew what we know already!" It would be really handy to be able to access that information depot. Our brain has developed its own ways to retrieve data. Our brain's search function is many times more powerful than any Internet search engine. Often, you can answer someone's question in a split second—if you know the answer.

We do not know exactly yet how the brain stores and retrieves information. That is why I use the metaphor of a search engine until a better comparison is found. The search engine of our brain is programmed to search in compliance with our preferences, beliefs, and the context in which we live. Over time, however, that context changes. As opposed to search engines such as Google and Bing, our brain takes into account that we mainly have attention for things that touch us personally. In a city, an architect will usually see the buildings, a student the number of bars, and a hairdresser exclusive hairstyles.

Our memory has two different ways of finding information (recognize) and retrieving ...