In computer science there are two main ways that you can store data, actually probably a better way to say it is, there are two types of data that are commonly stored in different ways;
Structured data include things like databases and MSExcel. People query the data with scripts to get answers, like a formula on an
Excel sheet to add up the sum of a column of numbers.
Unstructured data, like Word documents or the text in an email. Because the data has no inherent structure (think no column or row headings on the Excel spreadsheet) they (smart computer people) found it very hard to write a query in a structured way (again think how hard it would do an MSExcel formula with no column or row headings) so they store all the content in one ‘blob’ and use different programming and scripting languages to query the data and get an answer.
In much the same way, our conscious brain is constantly trying to structure incoming data and put things in boxes to make faster more efficient decisions (have a read of Kahneman’s Thinking Fast and Slow book) . It’s the reason we have rules, religion and biases. Some the data that comes in gets structured quickly, like the headline in my news feed, “Trump sends in troops to Portland” quickly confirms my bias that Trump is ‘crazy and needs to be voted out’, and that’s where I store it [1] .
Our conscious captures a heap of data this way, gives it context and stores it as (often biased) information, and while it’s trying to store it in ’structured ‘categories’, there is often no relationship between these thoughts, and no logic behind a perspective other than a regurgitated view/s confirming your previous thinking, or that were based on the last thing you read. …biases huh, yup we all have them, thankfully, or we’d either be asleep by midday or explode from confusion given the number of independent, complex decisions we’d have to make each second.
But that’s only a small fragment of the data we consume, our sub conscious is continually taking in data and storing it in one big neutral blob of unstructured content.
So what the hell has this got to do with writing?
Writing allows me to at once, provide relationships between my conscious structured thoughts, to test and be curious ON them (not in them) and allows me occasional, focussed access to my sub conscious (by giving it a discrete problem to ponder) whereby it can be efficiently useful, rather than just delivering anxieties.
Meaning, my structured thoughts and subconscious don’t continue to muddle up my thinking, which can end up in external frustration (with my poor communication and others mis-understanding) and internal anxiety (‘I’m not really sure if I should worry about that’).
Anecdotally, I’ve found listening to authors on podcasts who have learnt to write well (publicly or privately) that they ‘seem’ more thoughtful, calm and centred people irrespective of any other successes they may have had.
As we, (actually its just me, you can sort yourself out :)) …..as I age I’d like to maintain any mental acuity and still /feel like/ I’m providing value to society. The key phrase there is ‘feel like’ - Irrespective of how few people read this, I’m comfortable with my perception being reality, given how much we all bend it to fit the shape of our ego. I can then be more accepting of the illusion that I’m actually choosing an outcome :)
So why not write about topics where I have some credentials?
I will no doubt bias towards those topics [2] , but the point of this content is to be able to come to a perspective on something irrespective of my level of expertise.
As it is with life, we are all constantly developing our own frameworks so we can think about something. I know the conclusion is likely wrong, and that I will need to keep testing my assumptions along the way, but I’m hoping to be directionally correct enough that the framing will help us both (mostly me) to more effectively and efficiently consume content on that topic.
Ultimately, writing this all down help me get get my thinking aligned on a topic at that point in time AND given I’m doing it anyway and want to learn the craft of writing, it may help you as well.
Plus, having documented on a topic, I may feel less compelled to bend conversations into the various thought progressions I’m having at the time. It’s not healthy for me, and am sure frustrating and annoying for those on the receiving end.
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[1] Others may view this headline as confirmation that Trump is protecting America again and he needs to stay in power. Neither is ‘right’ <link to Right Post>, we use these heuristics to simplify our thinking and save energy.
[2] Startups, data, saas, technology, marketing, product development, decision making, strategy, privacy, innovation, governance, parenting badly....