Once upon a time, not so very long ago before messages were unmassed, people relied on a few sources for news and information. And for the most part the volume and intensity were manageable. No longer, and more’s the pity.

“Too much information” has become cliche. And it’s not just the amount, it’s the intensity. It’s infomania. To be heard you have to communicate in less-than-sound-bites or rely on hyperbole or scarewords. Or worse: just interrupt. That has to be one of the most ill-mannered habits of all times, but the times seem to demand it. One of my co-workers got some novelty gum a few years back. At the time I thought it was merely funny, but lately I’ve wished I could offer a few people a “nice, refreshing stick of Shut The $!@* Up.“

It’s a complicated world, made more complex because we’re compelled to absorb, process and understand the flood of information in which we’re awash. There’s just too much content and too little context.  Quantity passes for quality. Repetition masquerades as relevance. Pat answers are delivered as insight or worse, as gospel. Just like the church revivals of my youth but on steroids–the preachin’ never ends and we all feel unworthy, if not damned.

We need an “amen.” We need quiet time, from time to time. We need more face-to-face interaction and less Facebook friending, Twitter tweeting or my new personal e-communication favorite: conversating. Huh?

Isn’t it possible that an occasional escape from infomania might just make us more productive, more creative and better people?

And thanks for not interrupting!