BRAINSUMPTION

Information is not knowledge - Albert Einstein

Information is easier to accumulate right now than it was a decade ago.

Way too easy…especially with the advent of technology, littering information like it’s biscuit wraps.

What’s even easier? The accumulation of junk and the corroboration of mass foolishness, proliferated through mass media by actors desperate for fame and gratification from the internet populace.

Call it: Recycled Ignorance.

Where people take an idea or thought that is essentially oversimplified, lacking sufficient context and detail, and recycle it with audacity, creating an illusion of mastery.

You see, in this age of intense information, comes its dark side—where everyone becomes an expert. This expertise, generated from inundated pieces of information without insight, culled from the consumption of numerous 60-second reels and 280-character tweets.

An illusion of knowledge.

A repertoire of mental fallacy.

Those who should rather commit to building intellectual depth and grounded understanding are instead seeking the gratification that comes from knowledge assumption.

It’s obvious in the work that is produced. Devoid of dexterity, lacking skill, and alienating authenticity.

The work produced is only a fragment of this fallacy often in those who desire to share from limited information, serenaded by shallow-minded folks who don’t even know their left from their right. The elephant in the room is the flaccidness in thinking and error in diagnosis this creates. Why? Inability to go for knowledge and see information for what it is —an invitation to wonder and a guide to adventure.

This takes me to what I’d tag a profound inquiry by T.S Eliot in his poem, The Rock;

This is the part where you pause. Read again. Pause, then continue.

In Hebrew, Knowledge is the word —da’at (דעת)

Which is a composition of three letters;

‎ד (Dalet) representing a door or entrance

‎ע (Ayin): representing an eye

‎ת (Tav): representing a mark or sign

Pay attention to the circled Hebrew letters + meanings.

Dalet = Tent Door, Pathway

Ayin = Eye, To See, Experience

Tav = Mark, Sign, Covenant

When you also join the masses to say “As a man thinks, so is he” - is it fancy or do you understand what that means? This is the puzzle.

Knowledge is formed through an invitation (information). Information is the pathway to knowledge; it underpins the quest for understanding and knowledge. Information isn’t knowledge..it’s the awareness of knowledge. The consciousness that an idea exists on the other side. An invitation to wonder..to depth..to mastery.

This information is then experienced, hence the “eye” in the Hebrew rendition of knowledge. It’s not to see physically but depth of sight that is formed through experience, by engaging information…following the trail, attempting milestones, and building mastery. (See my essay on mastery).

Now, knowledge is incomplete without a mark, a sign, or a covenant. True knowledge leaves a mark, a representation of itself, and a confirmation of an adventure. Hence, you cannot produce what you do not KNOW. You can be informed about it but what you truly know is evident in the result you produce.

Have you wondered why, colloquially, sexual intercourse is often expressed with the word “knowledge”?

As in, “I knew my wife and she bore a son?”

Or when people say…”I have never known a man?”

Knowledge is intercourse with information.

In an age where knowledge is assumed, recycled ignorance disguised as information is looming, understanding our brainsumption is critical for genius. What + how we consume either makes or mars us.

In this essay, I’ll explore how the age of the internet has enabled mental fallacies + how to build a powerful knowledge repository. I’d do this along the following sub-headings;

1. The Un-Intended Emergence of Internet-Induced Mental fallacies

2. Pseudo-Intelligence: It’s Shape & Form

3. Building a Powerful Knowledge Repository

The Un-Intended Emergence of Internet-Induced Mental Fallacies

For every measure of foolishness or wisdom you exhibit per time, you’d find a diagnosis on the internet that would support you.

There’s always a tweet, a reel, or a piece of content that confirms your bias at the moment —so profoundly that it almost feels like “a word from God”.

That’s pretty wild.

It’s wild to think that you’d accept thoughts that sponsor your current state of being without question just for relief and self-gratification.

It’s wild because it’s never conscious. It almost seems like a confirmation or a renaissance where everything begins to make sense —not really…but sense enough to sponsor your current reality and state of being.

How many doors to meaningful relationships have been slammed shut because online affirmations conveniently highlight the other person’s flaws while sidestepping our toxicity?

Oh…or shall we talk about what’s happening with zodiac signs? Maybe not here..I’d pass.

Or, how most people suddenly become doctors and therapists diagnosing their situation and that of others all in a bid to rationalize self-destructive behaviors or find meaning in utter nonsense.

Zero context. Insufficient Education.

The internet provides fertile ground for the spread of misinformation, confirmation bias, echo chambers, and other cognitive biases that distort our understanding of reality and reinforce preconceived notions. From fake news to viral memes and clickbait headlines, online content often prioritizes sensationalism and emotional appeal over factual accuracy and critical analysis.

Thus, creating a breeding ground for mental fallacies, spreading like wildfire across various spheres and industries. And yet, amidst this deluge of misinformation and self-appointed expertise, it’s up to us to navigate with critical analysis and a sincere pursuit for true insight.

Here’s a resonating thought by Seerut Chawla, I encountered listening to one of my favorite podcasts hosted by Chris Williamson, Modern Wisdom.

I thought she was brilliant, searched for her, and here’s the quote culled from her Instagram page.

It reads;

Pop psychology is not psychology.

• Everyone you dislike is not a narcissist.

• Every unpleasant experience is not trauma.

• Having needs does not make you codependent.

• Disagreement is not gaslighting.

• Conflict is not abuse.

• Taking offense is not being triggered.

• Everything does not need to be normalised.

• Speaking like an HR memo is not self-awareness.

This was to speak to those who weaponize therapy vocabulary to aid understanding yet do the exact opposite.

Or..do we talk about how everyone suddenly has ADHD?

How social media gives you diagnosis that you interpret with exaggeration to support your ignorance and willful slavery?

One of the most significant consequences of brainsumption is the proliferation of mental fallacies—errors in reasoning, judgment, and perception that arise from flawed or biased thinking.

The internet's emphasis on brevity—“short-form content” as a tool for virality, leads to superficial engagement with information, resulting in shallow understanding and intellectual laziness.

On socials, everyone seems to have your best interest at heart but not everyone does. And, even those who do or try to, tend to contribute detrimentally to your education.

Hence, the onus is on you as an adult capable of continuing education to ensure grounded understanding and prevent building monuments of mental fallacies from internet education.

Pseudo-Intelligence: It’s Shape & Form

Do you ever encounter someone who confidently discusses an idea, but upon closer examination, it becomes evident that they lack a fundamental understanding of the subject matter? It's not merely a matter of ineffective communication; rather—a stark realization that the person lacks the expertise or insight necessary to speak authoritatively on the topic.

Pseudo-intelligence thrives on this illusion. It's a facade carefully crafted to create the impression of knowledge and understanding where none truly exists. It's the art of sounding intelligent without the substance to back it up.

This form and shape of intelligence is visible today. Where, interaction with seemingly “new information” online gives the impression of depth, insight, and authority where it’s otherwise non-existent.

Ever wondered why despite your perceived knowledge in a particular field, your results fail to reflect this supposed expertise? It could point to pseudo-intelligence where you exist in the illusion of intellectual superiority formed through consumption overload or shall we now say…brainsumption. A world where the constant intake of information is mistaken for nourishment yet fails to yield substantive understanding or meaningful outcomes.

Pseudo-intelligence lures you into a false sense of intellectual prowess, fueled by the relentless consumption of content without genuine comprehension. It's a trap where the appearance of knowledge overshadows the substance, leading to a disconnect between perceived expertise and tangible results.

You can know that idea is true and capable of producing results but, do you KNOW the idea? (re: our exposition on knowledge above).

Pseudo-intelligence is a thing, and many are building brands out of it. This is why a person’s business model would be teaching people to make money by teaching other people to make money.

I mean, learn a skill to make money, and then others who opt to learn are merely taught how to sell others the ideal skill to make money. The skill being learned isn't the problem. What is; is the arrogance of trainers who know a thing is good because of limitless exposure to information but fail to build substantive understanding to create measurable shifts in their lives and business that can be transferred.

Pseudo-intelligence, the evil child of brainsumption is a pandemic to be curbed and curtailed.

Building a Powerful Knowledge Repository

The internet has revolutionized the way we access information, communicate, and interact with the world around us. With just a few clicks, we can delve into a vast ocean of knowledge, and consume seemingly endless stream of content.

Here’s the thing…brainsumption is the relentless consumption of digital content that shapes our cognitive function and influences our perceptions, beliefs, and behaviors.

This isn’t merely passive info-consumption. It’s the diverse ways the internet consciously or unconsciously influences your thought process, bias, and decision-making. From the incessant scrolling through social media, the endless binge-watching of online videos, and the constant bombardment of news articles and opinion pieces.

These in themselves pose huge challenges to critical thinking, expansive insight, and intellectual depth.

Are you aware that one of the leading tools of disaster in relationships are unsolicited advice posed as tweets from internet cousins? Pathetic.

So, how can we navigate the age of brainsumption and build a powerful knowledge repository?

This is principal.

Understand this; when people share information —irrespective of who they are, and what form it takes, they often share from two points;

1. The journey they are on (colored by their context and bias)

2. The future they want to get to (attempt to articulate for themselves)

People share information, whether through books, content, or videos from –where they are, why they are, and what their context is.

Hence, the first principle of information consumption is to understand;

1. Identity: Who is saying it? (What do they do, where are they from, what are their beliefs?)

2. Setting: Where is it set? What is its context?

3. Audience: Who is the intended audience (never assume every info is for you regardless of resonance, don’t justify stupidity in any flattering way!)

Information is indoctrination. All forms. Hence, critical thinking + mental sovereignty is essential for being superior to captured ideas (info).

It’s essential to approach any form of content with a healthy dose of skepticism and curiosity. Question sources, investigate data, take through a mental audit, seek out multiple perspectives, and PAY ATTENTION.

Next is to always follow the trail.

Knowledge is like a game. When a thought or piece of information peeks at you—go on the journey. Like following a cat in the woods, follow to deepen understanding because there's more where that came from. Be a sucker for knowledge. Not to rob you of movement but to facilitate progress and to enhance activity.

…because, when the student is ready, the teacher will appear.

In a clime where the noise of diverse perspectives is all over the place, commit to the pursuit of intellectual depth. Follow the trail. Curate your curiosities and intentionally pursue them.

Finally, pay attention to your cognitive biases.

You’d always see the world as you are not as it is. Hence, it’s critical to pay attention to the colors of your biases while building a powerful knowledge repository. You are not building to massage your inconsistencies but to evolve into the highest version of yourself. One that is free, conscious, and intellectually meek.

Remember, in a world where you can be anything…be GENIUS.

- Faith Ohio

P.S: If you loved this essay, you’d love any of my #GeniusWebinars. They hold monthly. Register here to attend the next!