[Book Sip] "The More Information Overflows, the Duller the Thinking Ability Becomes"

Editor's NoteSome sentences encapsulate the entire content of a book, while others instantly resonate with the reader, creating a connection with the book. Here, we excerpt and introduce such meaningful sentences from the book.

"The process of becoming stupid is silent and painless."

The author, an artist and thinker who lived 150 years ago, warned early on that "the more information there is, the duller our thinking becomes." His concern turned to 'how to live intellectually,' and this book is the result. The author argues that true intellectual life is not a vague aspiration or a matter of talent, but a rigorous process of discipline. He explains that self-discipline, physical training, and economic stability form the foundation for deep thinking. The book introduces how to think independently and develop one's own perspective.

I want to emphasize again that intellectual life is not a 'skill to be completed' but a 'state' of being. It is a continuous journey toward higher and purer truths. Between great and small truths, between complete understanding and still insufficient understanding, if you always strive to make 'better choices,' even moments of wandering will become valuable lessons.

Look at the great creators in history. Wordsworth enjoyed walking trips, Goethe swam and skated under the moonlight. Humboldt was frail but trained his body through exercise to prepare for great explorations, and Leonardo da Vinci became poor but did not sell his horse and enjoyed horseback riding. Most city dwellers reduce outdoor activities and try to replace them with gymnastics or gym workouts. While there is an advantage in systematically training specific muscles, you cannot enjoy the refreshing stimulation of mountain air and the breeze. In fact, for us, not just simple 'exercise' but the very 'exposure' to the whims of weather like wind and cold is a great nourishment.

Your greatest enemy ahead will be the psychological pressure of 'wanting to finish quickly.' To overcome this, you must adopt the attitude Colton spoke of: 'progress slowly but steadily,' or emulate the relaxed mindset of a boatman's wife holding a teacup on a canal boat. To sustain intellectual life for a long time, I firmly believe there is no other way than to accept that all time is a 'process' and calmly enjoy each day as you move forward.

French writer Claude Tillier once said, "The best-written time is lost time." Important moments of intellect often bloom in what we commonly dismiss as wasted time. Conversations at social gatherings, shouts on the hunting ground, leisurely time on a yacht, even stories shared inside a carriage are examples. It would be foolish to recommend laziness to a deeply intellectual person, but sometimes we must be cautious not to let excessive diligence become a shackle that binds us.

Pressure can be helpful at times. Just as strong pressure on iron sparks flames, tension can stimulate creativity. I recall Rossini's advice to a young composer: "Write the opera overture the night before the first performance. When you're cornered, the copyists are waiting, and the theater manager is tearing his hair out, inspiration will flow." He joked, "The Italian showmen of my time were already bald by thirty." In fact, Rossini completed the overture "Otello" at dawn on the day of the performance when the manager locked him in a room, and wrote "The Thieving Magpie" on the morning of its premiere by throwing sheets of paper down from upstairs. Such extreme pressure certainly drew out special energy. But in Rossini's case, it was possible because he was confident he could finish within that time.

If someone just says, "I saw a rat last week," it might not leave a strong impression. But what if they said this? "One late night, as I was climbing the stairs, a rat was going up in the same direction. Interestingly, even though I was holding a candle, it stopped every two or three steps to glance at me and the candle, then moved leisurely after I passed. Unlike ordinary rats, its face and tail colors were unusual, so I thought it might be a lemming. Three days later, I met it again, and this time it even stepped aside as if recognizing me. Maybe I could tame it." Such stories may seem trivial but can instantly capture listeners' interest by connecting to the theme of 'animal personality.' What I want to suggest is, rather than avoiding 'small stories,' why not take the lead in steering the conversation in a meaningful direction?

The loneliest moment is when you discover your spouse gains more vitality from conversations with others. Though you love each other, they spend more interesting times with companions who can share the same depth of thought. And though your spouse may not say it, they surely notice. Then they probably think, 'We hardly meet. We live in different worlds.' Even the weekly one or two walks together are filled with worries about children or daily life. The deep insights and concerns encountered in each other's worlds ultimately fail to lead to conversation between the two.

The essence of discipline is twofold. First, to do your best with the abilities you currently have, and second, to willingly accept the training needed for greater potential without stopping there. Innate talent is just a starting point. It is not a completed ability but a possibility for future growth. True growth occurs only when you identify the training you need and practice it consistently.

Before You Become Stupid Than Yesterday | Written by Philip Gilbert Hammerton | Translated by Park Jeongmin | Philotic | 280 pages | 18,000 KRW