<![CDATA[We built an entire civilisation around the idea that more information would make us wiser.]]>We built an entire civilisation around the idea that more information would make us wiser.

We have more information than any humans who ever lived.

We are not wiser.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/topic/4dc2242e-bd82-418f-afa0-e7fa538b323f/we-built-an-entire-civilisation-around-the-idea-that-more-information-would-make-us-wiser.RSS for NodeMon, 27 Apr 2026 21:01:19 GMTFri, 24 Apr 2026 11:17:03 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to We built an entire civilisation around the idea that more information would make us wiser. on Fri, 24 Apr 2026 14:27:55 GMT]]>@Daojoan

Because we do not want to.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/users/_RyekDarkener_/statuses/116460150791141996https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/users/_RyekDarkener_/statuses/116460150791141996Fri, 24 Apr 2026 14:27:55 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to We built an entire civilisation around the idea that more information would make us wiser. on Fri, 24 Apr 2026 14:25:06 GMT]]>@Daojoan

noise vs. sound

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.ie/users/clickhere/statuses/116460139715543194https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.ie/users/clickhere/statuses/116460139715543194Fri, 24 Apr 2026 14:25:06 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to We built an entire civilisation around the idea that more information would make us wiser. on Fri, 24 Apr 2026 14:20:10 GMT]]>@Daojoan That really isn't the fault of the people reading the information. No-one made the caveat 'you have all this information, but you need to avoid everything eye-catching, engaging, or anything that speaks your language to find the truth'.

It's entirely the fault of the parasites abusing the free-information paradise to spread brain rotting dark pattern ruled social spaces and political brainwashing.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/users/BoysenberryCider/statuses/116460120309537001https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/users/BoysenberryCider/statuses/116460120309537001Fri, 24 Apr 2026 14:20:10 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to We built an entire civilisation around the idea that more information would make us wiser. on Fri, 24 Apr 2026 13:41:23 GMT]]>@Daojoan

We are unquestionably wiser*

The fact that a relatively small number of bad actors have used the tools of information to build obscene wealth and power for themselves doesn’t negate our wisdom, but it does expose the vulnerability of our social structure which, I think, is based on an assumption that the many good people can/will stop the few bad.

So wiser, or better informed, doesn’t necessarily mean we automatically have a better society.

*In my opinion. Not claiming to be the sole arbiter of wisdom, etc.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/pier/statuses/116459967836312861https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/pier/statuses/116459967836312861Fri, 24 Apr 2026 13:41:23 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to We built an entire civilisation around the idea that more information would make us wiser. on Fri, 24 Apr 2026 13:36:41 GMT]]>@Daojoan Even back in the late '90s the joke was: "We used to think that if you had infinite monkeys banging away on typewriters that one would eventually produce the works of Shakespeare, but now we have the Internet and know that's not so."

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://social.vivaldi.net/ap/users/115742558823620695/statuses/116459949350830253https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://social.vivaldi.net/ap/users/115742558823620695/statuses/116459949350830253Fri, 24 Apr 2026 13:36:41 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to We built an entire civilisation around the idea that more information would make us wiser. on Fri, 24 Apr 2026 13:32:11 GMT]]>@Daojoan I wouldn't say we did not get wiser. The added wisdom is just used to make more profits for the few, than better lifes for the many

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/users/h1treX/statuses/116459931691546858https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/users/h1treX/statuses/116459931691546858Fri, 24 Apr 2026 13:32:11 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to We built an entire civilisation around the idea that more information would make us wiser. on Fri, 24 Apr 2026 13:31:25 GMT]]>@Daojoan It is, however, the golden age of cat photos!

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/catsalad/statuses/116459928626938365https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/catsalad/statuses/116459928626938365Fri, 24 Apr 2026 13:31:25 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to We built an entire civilisation around the idea that more information would make us wiser. on Fri, 24 Apr 2026 13:29:36 GMT]]>@Daojoan
Knowledge

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mas.to/users/SometimesLovely/statuses/116459921514476835https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mas.to/users/SometimesLovely/statuses/116459921514476835Fri, 24 Apr 2026 13:29:36 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to We built an entire civilisation around the idea that more information would make us wiser. on Fri, 24 Apr 2026 13:27:08 GMT]]>@Daojoan We built libraries in our pockets, but forgot to build discernment in our minds...

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mstdn.social/users/Trixiemaina/statuses/116459911777273113https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mstdn.social/users/Trixiemaina/statuses/116459911777273113Fri, 24 Apr 2026 13:27:08 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to We built an entire civilisation around the idea that more information would make us wiser. on Fri, 24 Apr 2026 13:24:39 GMT]]>@Daojoan This is the main thing I'm wrestling with as I work to contiinue loving humanity honestly.

It's relevant to note that the information age is still very young however. There's a huge proportion of the population still who grew up without it.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/users/renardboy/statuses/116459902022686787https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/users/renardboy/statuses/116459902022686787Fri, 24 Apr 2026 13:24:39 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to We built an entire civilisation around the idea that more information would make us wiser. on Fri, 24 Apr 2026 13:13:49 GMT]]>@Daojoan

Actual wisdom: "Know how to recognize fascists, so you can fuck them up"

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://toot.cat/users/androcat/statuses/116459859456443719https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://toot.cat/users/androcat/statuses/116459859456443719Fri, 24 Apr 2026 13:13:49 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to We built an entire civilisation around the idea that more information would make us wiser. on Fri, 24 Apr 2026 12:51:52 GMT]]>@Daojoan
It was working when the internet was free. For example twitter was a wonderful tool for information sharing and learning until the fascist oligarchy realized that a wiser citizenry is not in their favour, now it is for disinformation and thought control.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mstdn.ca/users/NMBA/statuses/116459773101352266https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mstdn.ca/users/NMBA/statuses/116459773101352266Fri, 24 Apr 2026 12:51:52 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to We built an entire civilisation around the idea that more information would make us wiser. on Fri, 24 Apr 2026 12:40:33 GMT]]>@Daojoan well put. Information is just a tool and doesn't define wisdom at all. We still need to contemplate it's use, act upon it, and habituate that action to become wise.

In the age of LLMs it's easier than ever to jump straight to an "I sound wise" solution without the slightest modicum of depth and the result. Aristotle pointed to this same problem in Nicomachean Ethics when he discussed craft labor and Phronesis and drew the same conclusions.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/ap/users/115355621893239464/statuses/116459728639048797https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/ap/users/115355621893239464/statuses/116459728639048797Fri, 24 Apr 2026 12:40:33 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to We built an entire civilisation around the idea that more information would make us wiser. on Fri, 24 Apr 2026 12:38:02 GMT]]>@Daojoan
Too much food and we don't even know how to fry an egg.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://masto.nobigtech.es/users/jlperuyero/statuses/116459718706375678https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://masto.nobigtech.es/users/jlperuyero/statuses/116459718706375678Fri, 24 Apr 2026 12:38:02 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to We built an entire civilisation around the idea that more information would make us wiser. on Fri, 24 Apr 2026 12:27:22 GMT]]>@Daojoan We should be wiser with artificial data, like AI and ultra-processed foods that diminish every generation's capacity, for deciphering the lesser, from the greater.

Ignorance truly is, the ultimate enemy.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/ap/users/115482733208514503/statuses/116459676786801248https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/ap/users/115482733208514503/statuses/116459676786801248Fri, 24 Apr 2026 12:27:22 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to We built an entire civilisation around the idea that more information would make us wiser. on Fri, 24 Apr 2026 12:12:48 GMT]]>@Daojoan It's because Wisdom is not the residue you have left when stupidity boils off...
I'm misquoting an original line from Robert Newman's Radio show and Book 'Neuropolis'.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/users/sjcooke66/statuses/116459619504022240https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/users/sjcooke66/statuses/116459619504022240Fri, 24 Apr 2026 12:12:48 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to We built an entire civilisation around the idea that more information would make us wiser. on Fri, 24 Apr 2026 12:01:44 GMT]]>@Daojoan We're basically the equivalent of going to a buffet restaurant with the intent of limiting yourself to grilled chicken and steamed broccoli, but two hours later, you've stuffed yourself with fried foods, cheese, and dessert.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://social.vivaldi.net/ap/users/116281214898945058/statuses/116459575998421287https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://social.vivaldi.net/ap/users/116281214898945058/statuses/116459575998421287Fri, 24 Apr 2026 12:01:44 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to We built an entire civilisation around the idea that more information would make us wiser. on Fri, 24 Apr 2026 11:39:19 GMT]]>@Daojoan
We have information shaped things.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://hachyderm.io/users/EndlessMason/statuses/116459487866964713https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://hachyderm.io/users/EndlessMason/statuses/116459487866964713Fri, 24 Apr 2026 11:39:19 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to We built an entire civilisation around the idea that more information would make us wiser. on Fri, 24 Apr 2026 11:30:40 GMT]]>@Daojoan Tech does not lead to doing things better, or to doing better things. Tech just allows us to do the same things as before, but faster.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://social.coop/users/Steve/statuses/116459453850409773https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://social.coop/users/Steve/statuses/116459453850409773Fri, 24 Apr 2026 11:30:40 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to We built an entire civilisation around the idea that more information would make us wiser. on Fri, 24 Apr 2026 11:26:00 GMT]]>@Daojoan We built the internet thinking we would have all the information in the world at our fingertips, thus making us more informed. But we failed to see that misinformation spreads faster than information.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/users/desikn/statuses/116459435516595702https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/users/desikn/statuses/116459435516595702Fri, 24 Apr 2026 11:26:00 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to We built an entire civilisation around the idea that more information would make us wiser. on Fri, 24 Apr 2026 11:24:45 GMT]]>@Daojoan Yup. Cue one of my favourite Douglas Adams quotations, from Last Chance to See (1990):

"It's easy to think that as a result of the extinction of the dodo we are now sadder and wiser, but there's a lot of evidence to suggest that we are merely sadder and better informed."

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.nz/users/joncounts/statuses/116459430560822002https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.nz/users/joncounts/statuses/116459430560822002Fri, 24 Apr 2026 11:24:45 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to We built an entire civilisation around the idea that more information would make us wiser. on Fri, 24 Apr 2026 11:20:12 GMT]]>@Daojoan sadly, the same tools used to share information have also been used for propaganda, disinformation and lies.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mendeddrum.org/users/Nikkileah/statuses/116459412691775505https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mendeddrum.org/users/Nikkileah/statuses/116459412691775505Fri, 24 Apr 2026 11:20:12 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to We built an entire civilisation around the idea that more information would make us wiser. on Fri, 24 Apr 2026 11:20:07 GMT]]>@Daojoan To be fair some (or many at least) of us are. Unfortunately, the opposite also seems to be true.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/grumpydad/statuses/116459412356812826https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/grumpydad/statuses/116459412356812826Fri, 24 Apr 2026 11:20:07 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to We built an entire civilisation around the idea that more information would make us wiser. on Fri, 24 Apr 2026 11:18:25 GMT]]>@Daojoan A lot of us are. I certainly am with the internet at my fingertips. But there are so many people abusing information to feed their bottomless longing to be superior.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://writing.exchange/users/golgaloth/statuses/116459405661480185https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://writing.exchange/users/golgaloth/statuses/116459405661480185Fri, 24 Apr 2026 11:18:25 GMT