The laws shaping the reality of information dissemination

Now and in the future, we will have to talk again and again about three defining laws of information dissemination. The wheel of time cannot be turned back, and a truthful handling of a sea and more of information becomes a virtue.

There are a total of three forms of information dissemination that are neither good nor bad in themselves, but still not neutral, as Bernhard Pörksen expresses in his book "The Great Agitation," reminding us of the technology historian Melvin Kranzberg.

Information that falls under digital dissemination is too fast to immediately become wise from it. This form of information, once put into circulation, is rarely recallable and thus remains unhindered accessible. If the information agitates the mind, spirals of excitement arise, as the late Professor Kruse vividly described in the Enquete Commission on the Internet and Digital Society of the German Bundestag back in 2010.

It's worth listening from minute 34:25, and Peter Kruse's later remarks are just as enlightening.

Information spread at the speed of light is not very compatible with the human mind. In trying to keep pace with the information, we must reduce it to manage the flow. Yet, each drop that gets rubbed into our eyes tends to come unsolicited more and more often. Therefore, I recall another occurrence from the year 2010.

Peter Wippermann, a well-known trend researcher, used the term "Flow Control" in the context of the 15th German Trend Day. He referred to the challenges and opportunities of living in virtual worlds. Wippermann's concept of Flow Control aims to gain control over the information flow and one's own digital presence. It's about consciously dealing with digital technologies to avoid being overwhelmed while effectively leveraging the advantages of networking.

The book "The Great Agitation" from 2020 is a diagnosis that now – half a decade further on – still remains a recommendation.