Filling Space

We exist in a time where we have more information than we know what to do with…

It’s constantly being circulated at all times.

And as a result, many people find themselves addicted to the constant consumption of information…

It’s funny, I was watching this stand-up special yesterday with Sam Morril and he had a hilarious bit about TikTok…

He said, “You know that good feeling you have when you put down a book after reading? Yeah, TikTok is the opposite of that. I pick up my phone, 20 minutes go by, and I’m like what happened?”

We’ve all seen this, it’s like a slot machine of stuff we want to see just rolling on and on and on with no end…

And then on top of short-form content, we have long-form content with podcasts and youtube videos…

Oh, and books, can’t forget about the overwhelming infinite amount of books out there.

It’s like the Gutenberg Revolution on crack.

In one way, this is fantastic because it allows us to spread ideas and information at a speed that was impossible for any other generation…

I mean it’s insane to think that a 23-year-old is consuming content on Nietzche and Jung and then sharing it with their audience on a SubStack.

I do not think there was a single 23-year-old consuming Jung’s content in 1913, I could be wrong but I wouldn’t throw any chips in that corner.

So there’s this massive positive side to this influx of information and how easy it is to get access to it…

But there’s also a huge downside and it’s that people have zero fucking room to think.

Most people are entirely unconscious of the fact that at all times they’re filling their minds with content.

Morning - Phone

Toilet - Instagram

Drive To Work - Podcast

Work - Facebook & Twitter

Drive Home From Work - Podcast

Gym - Music

Dinner - Youtube

Down Time - Netflix

I’m sure we’ve all noticed an intimation of this in our own lives.

I can’t lie, noticing this kind of worried me…

That’s why I’ve made it a point to be deliberate with emptying out some of the time during my day and allowing myself to just think.

No outside noise, no books, nobody else’s voice…

Just mine.

It’s hard to hear it when you’ve hardly let it speak…

And I don’t think it’s all that easy for you to make the change in your life that you’re striving for if you never allow yourself some quiet time.

The quiet self-reflection is where we’re able to self-correct and get ourselves back on course…

But when that space that should be filled with the question, “How could I improve this aspect of life?” is instead filled with useless content…

Well, I think it’s a really great way to end up confused, frustrated, and depressed.

Take some time to yourself today, not every moment needs to be filled with a massive amount of stimuli.

Trust me, what you’re truly looking for exists in that silence.