Nathaniel J. Baskin

In today's digital age, it’s been more overwhelming than ever to consume information in a healthy and balanced way. While connectivity has its benefits, the constant barrage of notifications and distractions can drain our mental energy and leave us feeling manipulated by outside interests. To combat these negative effects, let’s modify the concept of the food pyramid to guide our perspective.

First introduced in Sweden in the 1970s, the basic principle of the food pyramid is to associate the number of servings apportioned to a particular food group with the area taken up on a triangle - essentials form the widest portion at the base, while indulgences sit up top. How can we hack this intuition to better understand the relationship between our information diet and our digital nutrition?

The base of our pyramid forms the foundation for everything built on top of it, and consists of the information most crucial to navigating our personal and professional lives. Much of this information can come directly from our families, friends, and communities. Disconnecting from mass media is important when seeking advice on personal matters, getting recommendations for local businesses or services, or discussing current events and how they affect us individually. Additionally, having an inner circle to turn to directly for emotional support and guidance is preferable during difficult times, instead of relying on outside sources for answers.

The middle of the pyramid consists of information that is less critical, but still of value. This is the content that broadens our perspective beyond our basic needs, and fuels growth related to our hobbies and interests. Assuming we have the drive and focus to learn, this is where the breadth of resources made available via the internet really comes in handy. Want to learn how to write software on a unicycle? Everything you could ever need to make it happen is only a Google search away. Be sure, however, to use reputable sources along the way, and you’re good to go.

The top of the pyramid is the smallest, and consists of “junk food” for the mind that is worth limiting. While no content is inherently harmful in small enough doses, be sure your digital nutrition is otherwise healthy and consume from these sources sparingly - tabloid drama, hyperpartisan news outlets, clickbait articles, etc.

At the end of the day, the content that floats through our minds is a reflection of the content we choose to consume on a day to day basis. When it comes to our information diet, the choices we make should take into consideration what we wish to be thinking about, and the behaviors that we would like to arise from our thought patterns. Always be mindful of how the online content you consume influences your mood and how you show up in the company of others.