Just finished reading Kevin DeYoung’s, Just Do Something. I like the paragraph below probably because I am in my new home that is without cable tv and newspaper subscription. After reading this chapter, I probably don’t miss the news channel or newspaper that much.

We have more information than ever before, and yet our wisdom has not kept pace with our knowledge. In fact, you could make a good case that where information has increased, wisdom has decreased.

Take the news, for example. We watch twenty-four hour news channels so, we imagine, we will be informed about the crucial events shaping our world. But all we really know is what people are talking about right now, most of which will prove monumentally insignificant in a month. And even when we do get helpful information, it’s surrounded by so much unhelpful information that it’s hard to put things in perpective.

There were the headlines on CNN.com on a Tuesday afternoon back in 2007: “Bush to call for sharp cutback in gas consumption.” “Military: 4 held in sneak attack on U.S. in Iraq.” “Libby: White House wanted to sacrifice me for Rove.” “Smoking gun report to say global warming is here.” “Shark chomps head of man diving for weeds.” “Oscar nominations announced.” “Sex offender, 29, enrolled himself in seventh grade.” “Sea lion misses water, ends up on dairy farm.” 101 dumbest moments in business.” “Tulsa digging up car buried 50 years.”

These are the top stories, mind you. Do you remember these two years later? Or even two days later? How much of it actually matters? And if something really did matter in this list, how could you recognize it when it is surrounded by breaking news about the daily travel of sea lions? We have plenty of information. Not enough wisdom.

Kevin DeYoung, The Way of Wisdom, Chapter 8, Just Do Something, p.87-88