The rate of knowledge that was being generated in 1945 was rather fast: it was doubling in 25 years. Today the rate of doubling is every 12 hours. You could fairly argue that much of this information is useless or even counterproductive. For instance, the U.S. statute of Title 9, which regulates funding of schools and prevents discrimination of school programs on the basis of sex, was once 37 words long. In 2020 the regulations of Title 9 had expanded to almost 37 pages. A recent Executive Order expanded the Title 9 rules to 2033 pages because of all the “genders” that are now recognized by this administration.
This is just one tiny example. With such an explosion of data, those of us who attempt to understand what is happening in the world via newscasts, relying on the “professionals” to crystalize the important details and give us the condensed version, can be excused because there is no way we can look at the explosion of information ourselves. Trouble is, neither can the professionals. Further, neither can the lawmakers: bills are being passed through Congress which are too long for those casting their yes or no votes on the legislation to read it themselves. So they are often voting for provisions that they don’t even know exist!
TMI
How about technological information, which allows us to live with so many modern conveniences? That information has clearly exploded, and it is taking a technological solution called AI (Artificial Intelligence) to access and use that information. AI is more “intelligent” than any person, but to fully implement AI in this country would take more power generation than we currently produce. Even AI is limited in its ability to manage the information explosion.
According to Gallup, which is a media rating agency (which itself is a form of media), only 34% of Americans have a great deal or fair amount of confidence in media. More than that number, 38%, have no trust in media. But where do those with no trust go for information? About 32% watch TV news regularly, but a growing percentage (62% and climbing) are getting online news from news feeds and social media. While the number of news media outlets is limited, the number of “news sources” on social media is nearly infinite.
Social media has so penetrated our society that although the young are the heaviest users, older users are increasingly active on social media as well. It is at the heart of the information overload that we experience today. Ironically, it is freely chosen: no one makes us use it. Unfree countries block or limit their citizens’ usage of social media. It is a pollution that we freely and even enthusiastically consume. Social research studies inevitably conclude that it leads to anxiety and depression when used heavily. Published in Cureus is a study of studies, where 16 different studies of the effects of social media were reviewed. The first aspect that they noted was that men and women tend to prefer different social media vehicles. Also, social media tends to replace direct social interaction, physically isolating users even while they are interacting with a greater number of people electronically. But all 16 studies showed an increased risk of anxiety and depression as time spent and activity with social media increased. They also found that females tend to spend more time on social media and are also more susceptible to depression. (1)
How do people react to this explosion of information and an “all you can eat” media? Well, according to multiple surveys, people are less happy and more stressed out than in previous generations. Youth, which is growing up plugged into social media, are the least happy. The explosion of information is directly tied to a decline of happiness and increase of stress — and due partly to these factors is harming the health of everyone, especially the youth.
Even scientists are alarmed by these trends. Published in Nature Human Behavior, a group of leading scientists cited how the information overload today is causing limited social interaction, dissatisfaction with work and other aspects of life, and a general lack of motivation. (2) They see similarities with previous major societal shifts such as the Industrial Revolution, where the shift caused major side effects which required huge changes. The information overload is a major threat to society, which will be very destructive unless solutions are found.
Turn to science?
We hold scientific and technological knowledge in high esteem. To settle an argument, we turn to “science” to tell us the truth. But how does science work? Basically, it starts with a premise, where we observe certain phenomena around us and design experiments to see if the premise is true. That truth is determined by repeatability: tests should consistently show that the same results happen with each run, so long as all the variables are unchanged. This leads to a model which can predict future experimental results. The “testable model” eventually is considered to be established fact, no longer requiring testing and instead being the basis of future experiments. This is what happened to Einstein’s Theory of Relativity, which is now considered fact and is the basis for new theories.
Science is hailed as being unbiased and getting to truth regardless of personal opinion. Yet even scientists are human, and even what gets to the level of “established fact” sometimes has to be revised. Science is an important tool in getting to truth, but it has to operate with limited variables to run experiments, and the variables of life are infinite, so no experiment duplicates real life conditions. Research studies are valuable tools, but it is also possible to find studies that directly contradict other studies. Again, the information has expanded rapidly, but can lead to confusion and overload.
The “testable model” approach of science helps rescue us from confusion. If study after study gives similar results, and we can form a general principle from those results, then that model can be used to predict future outcomes. We’ve found that inflammation regularly precedes disease, that exercise, nutrition, hydration, and good sleep are generally very positive for health, and that chronic stress is universally harmful to health. At the top of the list is attitude, stemming from positive thoughts, love, faith, and a sense of purpose — that feeds the mind, which translates to the brain, which runs the whole body. When these basic premises are tested by research studies, coming at them from all angles, they inevitably prove true. You don’t need more information at this point — these are established facts.
What happens is that we get caught in the details, and lose track of basic truths. As more information pours in, it overloads us and makes us forget or ignore the basic facts. The explosion of information is distracting, and much of it is unhelpful, even destructive.
Science has taught us that there is truth out there. When we test truth in a fair manner, it always passes the test. These are anchors that keep our ships of life from wandering and drifting from all the eddies and currents caused by too much information. Our basic truths are filters, letting us reject the flood of information which attempts to deflect us from them. They are also guides, letting us categorize new information as helpful for harmful.
Follow the Law
A set of tools for categorizing and filtering new information which has been sadly almost forgotten in modern times, even though they have been used for about 2,500 years in science and math, are the “rules of logic.” Examples are the Law of Non-Contradiction, where something cannot be true and false at the same time; the Law of Identity, where if something is true it is only identical to itself, and the Law of the Excluded Middle, where something is either true or false, not both at the same time. Using these rules we can avoid painting groups of people as being the same because of race or history, we avoid guilt by association and gossip, we discount out-of-context sound bites, and don’t succumb to being told by media and others around us that we should judge others in the ways that they tell us. Much of what we see and hear today doesn’t stand up to the rules of logic, and they can help us filter out much of the garbage around us.
Mostly we need to get to our own core beliefs and make sure that they are true. If we stand on truth, we are unshakable, but if we have no beliefs, we are thrown around by every thought that we come across. As a simple example, we can scientifically prove that there are only two genders — coming to any other conclusion violates the laws of logic. Yet you can see how “information” has confused this and other issues which should be simple and clear.
If you can pin down what is true, if you can determine your purpose(s) in life, if you can believe that God your Father is good and only good providing everything you really need, then you can have a fulfilling and healthy life. You can filter out the garbage and relax when new information floods in. You can live life more abundantly. Life seems complicated, but when your core is solid, it’s really simple.
Dr. Nemec’s Review
What the studies are showing is more information just brings more anxiety and depression, and the world does not need any more of that.
Instead, let us look to knowledge…
From the Oxford dictionary: “to be aware of through observation, inquiry, or information.” But there is a second definition which more accurately describes the word knowledge: “To have developed a relationship with (someone) through meeting and spending time with them.” So knowledge can be looked at as a relationship.
“Knowledge is power” is a popular saying, but it’s not complete. Knowledge can be just the accumulation of more information, which is memorized but nearly useless. If you look at knowledge as information storage, you can see just how useless it ends up being, because there’s never-ending information, and 99% of it is unnecessary — even harmful and distracting. Let’s look at a person who has a photographic memory. We would say this person is very intelligent just because they can memorize all that information. They also would be able to talk while reciting much information and would appear to be very intellectual. Let us define the word intellect: it comes from the Latin base word “intellegere” that means “understand.”
Let’s follow this trail: to understand requires the power of abstract thought; an individual’s perception or judgment of a situation. It’s especially power of comprehending: the power to make experience intelligible by applying concepts and categories, along with an individual’s perception or judgment of a situation. But to keep it simple, it comes down to two base words: “under”, which means below or beneath, and “stand”, which means to be vertical or upright (like a building) and remain upright in its entirety rather than fall into ruin or be destroyed. So to understand something you have had to build a solid foundation underneath, like a poured concrete foundation of a house so that house can be built on that solid rock foundation — so it will not sink or fall down in a storm.
Are you starting to truly understand what we’re saying? Knowledge means nothing. It’s just an information overload. It’s useless, distracting, and potentially harmful and dangerous. Only when that knowledge has the right foundation — undergirding support system — will we be able to build skyscrapers.
So let us complete the phrase we started with: Knowledge is power only when that knowledge is based in Truth.
Next question: What is Truth? That is the question of the ages. Is Truth more facts or is it more knowledge? Knowledge is an understanding of the facts. We live in a world of two possibilities: the Truth, and the lie. And we can define the lie as everything that’s not from the Truth. Truth can be seen as light, whereas the lie can be seen as darkness. When you turn on the light of Truth, all the darkness of the lie is gone. The Truth destroys the lie, with the definition of “destroy” being from the Latin “destruere”, where “de” means reverse and “struere” means build. So the lie takes away the foundation of the building — in essence there is no building to stand anymore. A house built on the sand with no foundation cannot be built. It will just fall down.
So as we can see knowledge is power only when that knowledge is founded on or built upon, and has a solid foundation of the Truth.
There is another saying: “and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free.” What will it set you free from? The lie of information, the lie of empty knowledge, the lie of facts that are temporal or changeable.
Finally, what is the definition of true?
Oxford dictionary states: “that which is true or in accordance with fact or reality. A fact or belief that is accepted as true.” But once again, these definitions end up with potentially changeable facts and true or false reality.
The old English base root definition looks at truth more as a relationship, not a fact or reality. Old English: tr?ewth, tr?owth — faithfulness, constancy, steadfast, loyal.
What is Truth? More accurately stated: who is the Truth?
“You will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free.” Free from what? Free from the lie, free from the distracting information, free from the useless knowledge. It will give you True understanding because your house is built on the solid rock foundation of the Truth.
Here are the ways we can help you in your health journey:
- Outpatient Comprehensive Teaching and Treatment Program-has the most benefit of teaching, treatment, live classes and personalized coaching. This program has the most contact with Dr. Nemec with 3- 6 month programs that can be turned into a regular checking and support program for life. This is our core program that has helped so many restore their health and maintain that restoration for years.
- Inpatient Comprehensive Teaching and Treatment Program-is our four-week intensive inpatient program for those that are not in driving distance, usually over 4 hour drive. This is the program that is an intensive jumpstart with treatment, teaching, live classes and coaching designed for all our international patients along with those in the US that do not live in Illinois. This program is very effective especially when combined with our new membership program support.
- Stay at Home Program-is offered to continental US patients who cannot come to Revolution New Medicine but still want a more personal, customized plan to restore their health. This program also includes our Learn Membership Program.
- Membership Program is our newest program offered for those that want to work on their health at a high level and want access to the teaching at Revolution New Medicine along with the Forums: both Dr. Nemec’s posts and other members posting. And also, to have the chance to get personalized questions answered on the conference calls which are all archived in case you miss the call. The Membership Program has 3 levels to choose from: Learn, Overcome and Master. The difference is at the Overcome and Master levels you received one on one calls with Dr. Nemec personalizing your program for your areas of focus.
(1) Karim, Fazida et al. “Social Media Use and Its Connection to Mental Health: A Systematic Review.” Cureus vol. 12,6 e8627. 15 Jun. 2020, doi:10.7759/cureus.8627, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7364393/
(2) Ho?yst, J.A., Mayr, P., Thelwall, M. et al. Protect our environment from information overload. Nat Hum Behav 8, 402–403 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-024-01833-8
