Heal From Information Intoxication by Regaining Depth

• Jul 1st, 2025
• by Sascha

Dear Zettlers,

I’d like to share three paragraphs from the English translation of the Zettelkasten Method book:

The Zettelkasten’s active approach counters the problem of modern information inflation—the overwhelming abundance of low-value content.¹ Information availability is no longer the bottleneck; sense-making and understanding are. With information so abundant, the best use of our time is to identify high-quality sources and engage with them deeply. Rather than wasting time, energy, and attention on countless YouTube videos, blog posts, or superficial e-book skims, select a high-quality source and study it intensively. The most effective way to learn is through active engagement: asking questions, connecting new knowledge to what you already know, experimenting with applications, and integrating insights into your knowledge base. The Zettelkasten is the ideal tool for this.

Many people, however, have a toxic relationship with information overload. They allow themselves to be force-fed by their feeds and subscriptions, with their brains responding by devoting decreasing attention to each source. This reduction in focus is evident even in the short term. We all know the feeling of getting sucked into a social media feed: you start with something intriguing, but within minutes of scrolling, you stop reading and merely skim headlines. It feels awful. The more we expose ourselves to this toxic online environment, the more these bad habits spill into other areas of life, eroding our ability to focus on a book for hours or a topic for weeks.

Instead of addressing this toxic relationship, many seek note-taking systems to compensate for the overload. They gravitate toward tools promising effortless capture. The word “effortlessly” seems harmless, but it reveals a deeper issue: relying on coping mechanisms rather than confronting information overload directly. This avoidance fuels a downward spiral—skimming sources with less attention, jumping to the next, and fostering shallowness, emptiness, and anxiety.

The Zettelkasten Method can’t heal a toxic relationship to knowledge. No system can.

We have to regain depth, though the Matrix is trying to force us into the shallows.

This recovery of depth is the core theme of these three videos. I made the offer to Nori and the past attendees of the Zettelkasten Introduction Course to provide them a coaching session if I am allowed to record and publish it.

Regaining Depth With the Zettelkasten Method

In this video I talk with Nori Parelius about her experience with her Zettelkasten. She shares the struggles she encountered, what ultimately led her to abandon her system, and the lessons she learned along the way.

Nori has also penned a thoughtful article, diving deeper into her decision. Check out the video for our candid conversation and read her full story to see if her insights resonate with your own Zettelkasten journey.

Watch the video, read our summary and don’t forget to read Nori’s article!

How to Explore the Depth of an Idea

In this video, I coach Fernando on how to create depth in his knowledge work using the Knowledge Flower, a core framework for increasing the value of information and turning it into knowledge. It is a thinking tool rooted in my ongoing research on the value of knowledge. If you want to explore the fascinating topic of the value of knowledge, read the article The Value of Knowledge, which offers a great starting point through a philosophical lens. My own research extends beyond philosophical musings and aims to develop practical thinking tools.

If you want to learn, through an example, how to discover the depth of an idea and build knowledge value, this video is a must-watch: Using the Knowledge Flower to Create Depth

The Zettelkasten Method for Hindu Philosophy

In this video, I coach Ashish on using the Zettelkasten Method to study Hindu philosophy. Hindu philosophy is an ideal domain for learning how to use a Zettelkasten to manage complex, seemingly endless topics. One major challenge is atomicity, as each idea can be explored in greater depth, often requiring notes to be broken down repeatedly. To avoid getting lost, you’ll need to develop both tolerance for this process and a disciplined approach to structuring your work.

I hope you enjoy this session: Studying Hindu Philosophy With Your Zettelkasten

Live long and prosper
Sascha