Spend a few moments thinking this over:
Why would we not be extremely particular about the knowledge we consume to ensure we’re in the best state of mind possible for the same reasons an athlete might sooner reach for a nutrient-dense meal instead of a bag of chips to ensure their body is ready for competition?
The information we consume, much like the food we choose to eat, influences how we think and feel:
Read a bunch of sad news and you’ll probably feel a little down.
Read a funny joke or two and your spirits will be palpably lifted.
We’re inundated with information every day, but to have information be put in front of you isn’t the same thing as being mandated to consume it — you can just as well say “no thanks”.
You can ask perfectly reasonable questions before engaging first, like:
“Is this credible?”
“Is this actually going to be useful?”
“Am I likely to feel better or worse after consuming this?”
There’s a fine line between striving to be an informed citizen, colleague, or partner and drinking helplessly from a firehose when your thirst is already quite quenched.
Willful ignorance isn’t just OK in certain situations, it’s the sane thing to do… because you’ve heard all that you can hear, you’re doing all that you can reasonably do, and choosing to consume more no longer serves any meaningful goal.
It’s okay to say, “No thanks. I do not need to consume that right now.”
