Too Much Information

I admit it, I’m a hypochondriac.  If I hear about some kind of new illness, I will worry about getting it and my brain may even start to come up with symptoms similar to what I was reading about recently.  Erik warns me to stay off of www.webmd.com but I don’t always take his advice.

I thought it was a great step forward when pharmaceutical companies were able to advertise drugs directly to consumers and then, I started watching them.  Can you believe how many side effects there are?  I am so thankful I rarely watch broadcast television or I may be having my own side effects from those ads.

A Lesson for Me
A lesson I am learning from all of this is that sometimes, there is just too much information available.  I am old enough to remember a time when there wasn’t a digital source available to look up answers to any and every question in the world.  Now, I look back and see that it was easier not to worry about the little stuff then.  It was easier to have your mind wander to simple, pleasant items such as what was going to be growing out in the garden in the morning.  If you didn’t have the option to learn what the worst case scenario was on your own, you weren’t caught wondering if you were going to be the 1% who got the worst end of the lab tests.

A Reminder as a Parent
As I raise my kids, I know they will have access to all of this information also.  When they have a question, they will be able to get “the answer” quickly.  They won’t be forced to just put it aside and continue focusing on the simple things that they know for certain such as bike riding in the cul de sac and family dinners.  There is just too much information available to take their thoughts on a tour of the terrible.

Questions for the Future
Is it good information?  Is it helpful to our life focus?  By having all of our questions answered, are we truly in a better place emotionally or do we lose control of our thoughts entirely?  I’m beginning to wonder if we are headed for a very dark place.  As you look for answers in this digital world each day, make sure to ask yourself these questions and protect your thoughts in the process.