Are You Stingy with Information?
Intent is a big thing in the social world.
It shows the difference between a snake and a person who committed an honest mistake.
Sometimes the intent was harmless.
Sometimes the intent was harmful.
I used to know this guy named Thomas who knew how to solve the Rubik’s cube.
Him effortlessly solving the cube got my curiosity.
How did he do that?
I was curious because I saw Will Smith solving it in the Pursuit of Happiness.
When I asked Thomas, he wouldn’t tell me.
He gave a vague response like:
‘You know, I just learned.’
Alright buddy.
Not much help, but all good.
Actually, not all good.
This was bothersome to me.
I wanted to learn how to solve this cube.
But didn’t want to pester Thomas.
Not sure why I would have to pester him.
Like a dummy, I realized that I could just Google it.
Take a little initiative, you know.
And that’s what I did.
From Google, I was led to YouTube.
And then I found a video of a guy solving the cube.
He solved it in 6 minutes step by step.
I watched that video many times.
And in a few weeks, I was able to solve it as well.
Fascinating.
When others would ask me how I learned, I enthusiastically referred the 6-minute video I watched.
‘You guys should check out this link. All the steps are there!’
I knew these people who were asking me wouldn’t check out the video though.
Much love for them.
But doubt they had that desire to learn to solve it.
It was just a casual question.
This casual question got my attention.
When they initially did ask me that question, there was a micro move in me that was like:
‘Man, I Googled it & had to find the right video for me. Why don’t you take some initiative? Bum.’
Just kidding about the bum part.
That micro move was immediately overwhelmed by the flurry of desire to recommend the video.
Yet, the micro move was noticed.
I think a part of Thomas found it disrespectful I asked him how to solve the Rubik’s cube.
In his world, he probably felt that I was undermining his success.
He wanted to give this illusion of knowing how to solve a cube.
Solving the cube is often seen as a symbol of being smart.
Now here comes a guy asking him to mechanically give the answer which will take away the mystery.
I did the Rubik’s cube in front of many people since then.
Normally through the following challenge:
‘Yea right, you can’t solve that!’
When it’s solved, the general public is impressed.
While every now and then, a stickler is like:
‘Yea, I’d know how to do it too if I followed it step by step on YouTube.’
Marginalizing the win.
I believe this is what Thomas was afraid of.
So I can’t hate on him.
I don’t believe his intent was malicious.
I don’t think he was even trying to teach me a lesson.
‘You know, I need to teach this Armani guy the art of doing his own research.’
Doubt he ever did that.
Thomas does not embody any kind of intent.
He did teach me about a philosophy:
The art of sharing.
As resources become rich in this world, a lot of things will become automated.
Information is rising.
It’s a form of wealth.
Not any kind of information.
Information relevant to someone’s life.
2 groups are emerging:
-The learned individuals who enjoy sharing.
-The learned individuals who do not enjoy sharing.
I share for a selfish and selfless reason.
Selfish, because it conditions my mind to have an abundance mindset regarding ideas.
Selfless, because it helps others.
Thomas’s do exist in the ecosystem.
And I believe they serve their role in the unique information landscape.
I call them the resistors.
The components which are meant to slow things down.
Sometimes, giving people clear information is a waste of time.
‘Why?’
Because clear information cannot be perceived by a muddied mind.
Maybe Thomas was trying to teach me a lesson.
Maybe he was seeing if I would have the drive to do my own research.
Maybe, just maybe, he wanted the next person who joined the Rubik’s cube fraternity…
To earn it.
Rather than it being delivered on a silver spoon.
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