Information is an undigested burden

I’m taking a writing class, and this quote really hit in regard to using Obsidian.

John Dewey in his 1933 book, How We Think.

“Of course intellectual learning includes the amassing and retention of information. But information is an undigested burden unless it is understood. It is knowledge only as its material is comprehended. And understanding, comprehension, means that the various parts of the information acquired are grasped in the relation to one another – a result that is attained only when acquisition is accompanied by constant reflection upon the meaning of what is studied.”

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A great quote and I think it links in nicely with the idea of using Obsidian to connect ideas and information as opposed to merely collecting information.

If we just use Obsidian to store information, it becomes the undigested burden mentioned in the quote. But if we connect information, use it, explore it, revisit it, consider it in the context of other information, then we gain understanding and comprehension.

Sounds like a good book, I might read it!

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