Think Slow

It’s an antithesis in our world. Everything is faster, quicker, more immediate. There has been much talk of a theoretical upper limit to electronic processing power. But little mention is made of the upper limit of our neurons. How fast can you make good decisions? How fast can you bring other people on board? How much did you miss?

I think we are witnessing the first generation in government to have to deal with this. In order to be in front of the media, the administration has to make rapid-fire decisions. There is no time for due process – to ask questions, let alone answer them. Appearing pro-active now requires being pre-emptive. There have been some costly mistakes. There will be more. They are the size of nations.

The promise of the info age is that life will happen at the speed of thought. Is that really a noble goal? When life moves a little faster than thought, what then? How 'bout a lot faster? Some time ago, humans achieved the ability to generate and share information at a far higher rate than their capacity to process it. With the technological improvements, every single person joins the global fray. Now when the phone rings, it could be a telemarketer, or it could be your mother. In a very real sense, it’s just another voice competing for your attention.

If that's not what you've signed up for, then change. Reduce the speed at which your life travels. Enjoy your time, don't wring your hands over it. Figure out what you need to do to make that happen. Then do it.