Recently, I discovered the Zettelkasten method. It’s astonishing how long I remained unaware of something so aligned with my interests. My ignorance of this method and its elegance surprised me.
My past efforts with Evernote—linking notes, tagging, and the like—were all unsuccessful attempts at what Zettelkasten accomplishes. Discovering it made me realize how misguided I had been, living in the ‘collector’s fallacy.’ This term describes the urge to amass information and feel content, without realizing one crucial aspect: the need to process and understand what’s gathered. Simply knowing about things is different from truly understanding them. Collecting for its own sake is just accumulating clutter. Christian Tietze of zettelkasten.de puts it well:
“We all have a tendency to collect useful stuff and feel good about it. As knowledge workers, we’re drawn to the next big idea, to intellectual stimulation. We stack up books and articles, save countless internet bookmarks, all to feel on the cutting edge.”
This realization led me back to writing, reigniting my inner creator. I’m committed to being mindful about the information I consume, to process and understand rather than just collect it. This means dedicating time to delve into topics of interest, taking notes as I read, blending new concepts with my own thoughts, and organizing these ideas in my Zettelkasten system. This approach liberates me from the trap of gathering information merely for intellectual satisfaction. The goal is to connect thoughts, forge new links, and ultimately, create knowledge.
I aim to reflect on the world I’m part of, inching closer to philosophical truth and, hopefully, contributing something valuable through my writing. Some of my work will remain private in my journal, while other parts I’ll share with the world.
In summary: The writer in me has returned.