Many years ago, I heard the expression “information overload” but I never associated it with anything other than the daily flow of e-mails, telephone calls and media stuff.
Recently I concluded that none of us has enough time to absorb all of available communications forums that exist between social networking, television, radio, cell phones, computers and every other outlet for the happenings around us.
On a typical day, a client will call and ask if I saw a show on Netflix. That is followed up by a call that I must see a series on Amazon Prime.
The day is capped off with some politician asking me if I saw a story on CNN that had been announced only two minutes earlier.
When I get home my wife, who is busy with her own daily challenges, tells me she has finished watching a Netflix production that had 46 episodes.
Because my life is steeped in politics I have my own list of must do and must-reads every day and that is longer than you could imagine. For example, by the end of the business day, I will have read portions of the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Newsday, New York Post, Washington Post and watched portions of MSNBC, Bloomberg News, Fox, CNN, Huffington Post, The Hill and six other outlets.
It never fails that during the course of a dinner with clients or friends I am asked if I saw some particular item or news segment that for some obvious reason slipped by me.
The dilemma that we face today is that even if you are a certified billionaire, no one has the time to see all of the various media streams that are out there. And that leaves out the daily television shows on the major networks.
By accident last week I was channel surfing and stopped at the “Bachelor” show. In less than two minutes, I became totally disgusted watching some racecar driver ditch his chosen woman for another contestant.
As the father of four daughters, I found the whole incident totally demeaning and wondered why the “Me Too” movement hasn’t protested that awful network show.
During my relax time on weekends I try to see a set schedule of shows to keep me up on the world’s events. I catch “Meet the Press,” Jake Tapper and Fareed Zakaria on CNN, occasionally watch Fox to see what the other world is saying and then look for some sporting event if there are any at this time of year. In the interim, I read the entire New York Times and check out Newsday on my cell phone. By 7 p.m. I look for “60 Minutes” and then have to see “Homeland.”
I fill in the gap time with conversations with my wife or family, if any time is left.
By mid-Monday, I have had at least six calls asking me if I saw a long list of other talk shows, news reports, reality shows and special one-time-only presentations.
The assault on our senses is maddening and there is no way to carve out sufficient time to keep up with these challenges.
And much to my amazement, the various networks are continuing to announce that they will invest millions of dollars in new productions.
If you have a big personal staff, you can cope with the demand for information by having a daily news summary brought to your desk.
It helps you learn quickly what is important for you to be up to date. There is a rumor that President Trump gets these summaries but never takes the time to read them.
I wish we could get a bunch of neighbors together to hire someone to watch all those television shows, read our newspapers, watch the talking political heads and help us keep up with the information overload.
But until some new Internet app comes along, we will have to suffer in silence.
