In Information Anxiety, Richard Saul Wurman helped us understand why and how interests, questions, and making connections were some of our most powerful weapons against stress from overwhelming non-information. His other big idea is: learning is remembering what you are interested in. No interest, no retention. Therefore, one of our most important tasks is to discover our true interests, to nurture them, and to indulge them. Furthermore, we need to protect our interests from guilt and anxiety. For Wurman, interests are not just for getting pleasure in leisure activities. In his youth, with a friend, he tested himself by traveling and exploring the world without money. He pointed out that you could learn a lot when you have to survive. Wurman’s concept of interest is, in a broader sense, what is personally relevant for you. He said: “If you spend a considerable amount of time reading about subjects that have nothing to do with your life, but provide you with great satisfaction, try to incorporate these interests into your life or work in some way.” For people with many diverse interests, it is also worthwhile to think about how to connect them in a meaningful way.
Book review: http://yingtan.typepad.com/big_idea_of_the_week/2008/06/information-anxiety-part-2.html