* Id: InfoOverload * Revision: 1 * State: submitted * * Log: * Revision 1 1997/06/03 Aaron Rice * Initial submitted version. This was stuck in the system for ages. * Originally distributed to editor 10. * * Checked-out 2000/03/10 Roel van der Meulen ps Note that Aaron's address has changed to elemental@mcmail.com 1234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456 %t Information Overload * Formatted/Saved by WinPGG v2.0 Beta 1 (1997/06/03) %n R %s How Do We Cope? %a Aaron Rice (a.rice@ukonline.co.uk) %d 19970603 %i Overload, Information %i Data Overload %i Learning, Too Much %e Information overload is when the basic level of information required to survive at a basic, or even slightly raised level, is just too much for any one being to hold. It progressively becomes a larger and larger problem as more and more things become "required learning". To this point, there is no such thing as "Information Overload" without "living"; it is still possible to live a life in ignorance, and do nothing [1]. The problem comes when you attempt to keep up with the increasing flow of information that trickles, or more precisely gushes, into the universe every second of the day. The biggest problem will come when it becomes impossible for anyone to do anything without learning such a fantastically large amount of waffle, that they simply do not have the time, or the willpower. Fortunately, as some information becomes available, other data become obsolete, and the situation is resolved. Also, ways of learning become more effective, and data can therefore become amassed more easily. On a smaller scale, there are many individual tasks that have become so complex, in the information that is required to perform them, that they can no longer be performed without assistance, often from computers. Unfortunately, it seems that are still heading blindly towards this universal problem, and nobody seems to be prepared to do anything about it. One day very soon, it will be virtually impossible to do anything anywhere without the aid of electronic assistance. [1] Indeed, some are well paid for doing just that. %e *EOA*