What is Information Obesity?

How we consume information today. Let’s break it down:

The Problem : Information overload is making us dumb!

Imagine someone glued to their phone, scrolling through endless articles, Instagram reels and Facebook posts. They have knowledge of a little bit about everything – the economy, celebrity gossip, politics, latest trends – but when you ask them to explain any of it in detail, they struggle. They’re overloaded with all information, but they haven’t actually absorbed or understood any of it.

Imagine this: amidst your endless scrolling, you come across a breakdown of a scene from an upcoming movie—someone’s interpretation, their opinion. You absorb it, adopt it, and suddenly, you dislike the movie before you’ve even seen it. You form an opinion, maybe even share a negative review. But when asked why—when pressed to explain what exactly turned you against the film—you hesitate. You fumble for words. And then comes the usual response: “It’s complicated.”

It’s like eating a ton of junk food, which makes you full, but no actual nourishment comes out of it. We’re all becoming “informationally obese,”: meaning we’re consuming way more information than our brains can handle, leading to confusion, anxiety, and a false sense of knowledge.

Why It’s Happening: We’re addicted to Scrolling

We all are. We read news, watch debates, scroll reels, argue online, and form strong opinions. But often, those opinions are based on superficial information that we’ve picked up from social media or from others without any deep understanding. We’re collecting information to win arguments or feel like we belong, not to actually learn.

The people creating this content – the tech companies and media outlets – know exactly what they’re doing. They want us hooked, scrolling, and arguing. Our addiction is their profit. They don’t want us to think critically; they want us to keep coming back for more.

The Solution: Mindful Consumption

The answer isn’t to ignore information altogether. That’s just as bad. We need to be more selective about what we consume.

Think of it like choosing your food: be deliberate and careful. Ask yourself: “Will this information actually make me wiser, or will it just make me feel like I know something?”

We need to prioritize understanding over just being “informed.” A mind filled with noise isn’t thinking; it’s just reacting. And that’s not healthy.