The Prosumer Equation

In my view, the line between consumer and producer has blurred dramatically, in the sense that what we take in increasingly shapes what we put out in visible, traceable ways.

At least for those of us who create in any capacity, we've more or less entered an era where consumption isn't merely an end in itself but also a fuel for our own creative output.

For example, knowledge workers consume information, transform it through their unique perspective, and produce new insights. This new insights then enter the ecosystem as fresh material for others to consume and so forth.

A musician friend recently described how she listens to dozens of artists not necessarily as a fan but as a craftsperson collecting sonic raw materials.

I think the challenge rears its head when the glass is overflowing, so to speak. I experienced this firsthand during a research project last year.

Despite having more information at my fingertips than scholars of previous centuries could access in a lifetime, my output slowed to a crawl.

Mostly because I adopted the attitude of 'just one more source might hold the key,' which created a perpetual cognitive flood.

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Looking back now, my mind goes to a novelist I follow on YouTube who says she maintains a strict "one hour of reading for every three hours of writing" rule specifically to prevent this overflow. This is something I've learnt only a few months ago.

The Human Capacity

When our metaphorical glass overflows i.e. when we exceed our processing capacity, valuable input simply spills away unused, wasted.

Of course, most of this challenge is based on the backdrop of the human capacity.

We face biological constraints that no technological advancement can fully overcome, for now. Attention remains finite. Cognitive processing has upper limits. Time stubbornly refuses to expand beyond 24 hours per day.

The only trick I've known so far is to strategically limit consumption to high-quality, relevant inputs that align with one's productive capabilities.

Experientially, consuming too much sometimes results in producing less. The illusion of productivity that comes from constant research and perpetual learning can mask a fundamental truth, which is avoiding the harder work of creation.

Before you start creation work, especially when there isn't any muse to light the path, it always feels like hiking up a mountain when you're out of shape and it's starting to rain.

Strategic Asymmetry

The attention-based market increasingly demands production on demand is an insight I discovered recently from a freelance designer who built her reputation not on being the most artistic but on having a reliable system. Consumes client references Monday morning, sketches concepts by afternoon, and delivers finals Tuesday.

At a glance, I think her method seems too rushed until you see the quality she consistently delivers.

Perhaps, an overlooked aspect of the prosumer equation is the art of extracting maximum value from minimal exposure.

I've come across wisdom from several master craftspeople that put it as deep engagement with fewer sources often yields greater insights than shallow skimming of many.

The logic is usually a prosumer who can read one book thoroughly, extracting and applying its core principles, outperforms the one who briefly samples dozens.

Despite its inherent limitations, I personally appreciate the simplicity of this deliberate constraint on information intake. Consuming once but completely, then moving directly to application rather than additional acquisition.

If we live in a world designed to maximize our consumption, then strategic asymmetry may be our best form of resistance with regards to maintaining a creative sovereignty.


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