Reading in the Information Age and FIU

My dad and I once discussed the differences between e-books and physical books. I mentioned that the biggest advantage of e-books over physical books is the ease of searching, which perfectly embodies the new reading style of the information age and the internet era - unlike Li Ao, who had to tear books apart to read them, we can easily “dissect” almost any book using computers and the internet.

The new reading style of the internet era is bound to give people like us a completely different knowledge structure from our predecessors. Each link breaks down our knowledge into tiny fragments. In this era, we no longer value the size of each piece of knowledge, but rather the number of links between them. In most cases, we don’t need to remember all the content of a piece of knowledge; in fact, it’s enough to just grasp the outline. The internet and computers are like a treasure trove of knowledge, and we only need to link our knowledge to the network or hard drive.

Living in this era, the thick books on our bookshelves no longer seem so important. What we require is quick searching of content. Each thick book eventually becomes a pile of tags, and we use our computers to connect the tags in physical books to the knowledge treasure trove through search engines. What’s important is no longer the content of those tags, but the tags themselves.

Take writing this article, for example. When I wanted to cite Li Ao’s example, I didn’t need to remember how Li Ao tore books apart or where I read about it. All I needed to do was find the link between the tags “Li Ao” and “tearing books” in my mind, and I could verify whether the link was effective through search engines.

With the help of computers and the internet, people who memorize book content verbatim are no longer the most knowledgeable. Anyone can reproduce content through searching and downloading and share it with others over the internet. The “wise” people now are those who can establish numerous links between pieces of knowledge. The development of future semantic networks may redefine this concept.

In this era of information explosion, only those who master new reading methods can obtain the necessary nutrients from the vast ocean of information. FIU is one such method, and I’d like to share a passage introducing FIU, hoping it will enlighten everyone.

The following passage is reproduced from a comment on Douban:

FIU is a non-linear reading method that involves jumping and divergent thinking, which is far superior to traditional linear reading and thinking. Currently, mind maps and divergent memory thinking training aim to develop people’s non-linear intuitive thinking abilities. The next generation, who are accustomed to non-linear hyper-text reading on the internet, will have a completely different thought pattern from those who engage in linear reading. Their thinking will be more diverse and adaptable.

In the initial stage of non-linear reading, FIU may seem shallow and disorganized, but when you focus on a particular domain and FIU within that domain, over time, all the concepts will form a web of ideas, which can be said to be the territory of your thinking. It’s like weaving a knowledge web unconsciously. The more you FIU, the more familiar it becomes, until it becomes intuitive. Moreover, this knowledge web is open and constantly updated, keeping your thinking forever young.