Philosophy of Content
Or why content is just like food
Everyday we are consuming all kinds of content: articles, shows, music, videos, books, etc. Most of the time, we don’t put much thought into it. If we like it, we consume. If we don’t, we don’t.
What we need to realize is that content is like food. Some will nourish us, and some will not.
I’d like to propose an idea which is probably not original(as the saying goes: There is nothing new under the sun.) Simply that we should be thinking of the content we consume the same way we do everything else we put into our bodies.
If you want to be physically healthy, you don’t smoke cigarettes, you don’t take drugs. Why, then, do we not treat our mental realm the same way?
I’d like to put a challenge forward for you to try:
Spend some time interacting with whatever content you want, but with one rule: it can’t be intellectually stimulating for you. Think youtube videos, reality tv, etc.
For a comedian, maybe this would be rap music. For a rapper, maybe it’s a comedic YouTube channel.
After spending a good amount of time doing this, sit down and try to work on your craft. If you’re a writer, write; you’re a dancer? Dance.
How did it feel? How naturally were you able to get into the groove and really focus and think. Keep that in mind.
Now, let’s do the opposite.
Spend an hour or two only watching, reading, or listening to things that you enjoy, but that are mentally stimulating.
This, again, will be different for everyone. For a comedian, maybe this would be comedy specials or sitcoms. For a musician, this might mean music you really want to pick apart and understand. For me it’s literary fiction and content about writing.
Now, after you’ve spent an hour doing that, sit down again and try to work on your craft.
How’s it going?
I’m willing to bet that it went a whole lot better the second time.
What does this tell us:
That we need to be mindful of what we allow into our heads.
I don’t think you have to spend 100% of your time only focused on fruitful, intellectual media.
I’ll eat a cheeseburger– even though it doesn’t nourish my body; the same way I’ll watch reality tv for hours– even though it doesn’t nourish my mind.
The key is being balanced and mindful. Take some time with this idea. Really try to investigate the effects that content has on you, and I promise you’ll find the effort fruitful.
