The world has moved through a lot of ages in its quest to survive and thrive. Today, most people will agree that we live in what has come to be known as an information age (if not the technological age).
In this information age, information appears to be everything. Information gives organizations the advantage over their competitors, puts leaders a step ahead of followers, inform life-altering decisions and so much more.
We literally feel crippled anytime we lack information on a particular issue. Some even feel embarrassed to admit their ignorance and try to parade ignorance as the newest information there is. But where does that leave us in all this information rush?
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If we also want to fit in with the crowd, we may probably jump at any information we see and hear around. Maybe we can immerse ourselves in the social media space and consume tons of information in order to have that feeling of assurance that we are keeping pace with the world.
If you’ve ever tried doing this, I’m sure that you’d agree that in the long run what you feel amidst all the information hunt is nothing like being in sync with the world. Some people report that their sanity is tempered with and they experience some kind of paranoia that they cannot even explain.
So how do we thrive in this information age without suffering scars of altered personality, insanity and paranoia? If you have ever wondered what the answer to this question is, then I’m glad because you’ll find the answer right here in this article.
When I talk about the two baskets theory, it’s not a complicated scientific or philosophical showdown. It is just the layman’s understanding of organization.
There was a time where my wardrobe was a mess and I used my sense of smell to distinguish between clothes that were washed and those that weren’t. And that worked pretty fine until I realized that almost all my clothes smelled like they weren’t washed although I knew some of them definitely were (because I did the laundry myself).
A common-sense solution just occurred to me to remedy my organizational mess- why not get two baskets…and keep the washed clothes in one and the unwashed clothes in the other. So, I did exactly that and since then my wardrobe has been in good shape and my nose has been relieved from sniffing all that odour.
Shortly after fixing that little issue, I had an enlightening conversation with a good friend. When she called me, I knew she didn’t expect me to provide any solution to her problems. She just needed someone to talk to, and possibly weep with. And how did I discern that? Well, I didn’t have to because she told me herself.
She was very hurt by the comments her classmates made about her. From what she told me, it appeared that they were on a mission to tarnish her image and to make her life in school miserable. Since I thought highly of her and knew beyond a shadow of doubt that her classmates were wrong about her, I tried to remind her about how wonderful she really is but her response was something else.
She shrugged off my comments and continued wallowing in pity and hurt so I didn’t say a word. I just listened to her because I figured that was what she wanted- a listener. And I think she made that clear to me right from the start.
But as I listened to her, I couldn’t help but continually think about how information about her identity was just a mess in her mind. She knew she wasn’t who her classmates said she was but she had imbibed their defamatory comments. Again, she knew she was better than that but she shrugged off uplifting comments. I wondered what the simple solution for that mess could be? What occurred to me almost made me burst into laughter. Why not use two baskets? I thought to myself.
These baskets wouldn’t be tangible ones like I had for my clothes; it would be mental or imaginary- one with the label “noise” and the other, “voice”.
What would go into the noise basket is that kind of information that puts us in a state of low consciousness which is usually characterized by emotions such as anger, chronic anxiety, crippling fear, condemnation and so on. You can think of it as the basket I kept my unwashed clothes in. Whenever I had to dress for the occasion, I never searched through those for obvious reasons.
In the same way, if you want to have a great day, just quit reminiscing the noise. Instead go to the basket labelled ‘voice’ and think on the fresh and uplifting information it contains. This kind of information brings about joy, contentment, resilience and hope, which make even the worst of days enjoyable.
Although I never had the chance to tell my friend about the two baskets theory, I’m glad I still have friends like you. Hope this helps!
Restpiration 