paralysis by analysis

[randyt]

Has anyone heard of paralysis by analysis? Me and a buddy was talking awhile back. Not sure who said it but one of us said something about how it seems harder to do something these days than years ago. How could that be with the plethora of info available at our fingertips via the world wide web, to much info. Both of us were kids pre-web era. We were talking about all the conflicting info available via the web.

As a example take making a knife from a file, back in the day we would have just done it, good bad or otherwise. The knife would cut, skin, whittle, cut my finger etc.

The modern kid does a web search and comes across 5 people saying it a waste of time, 5 people saying it's worthwhile, and 5 people saying you're a fool for even trying it. This poor kid is so confused he says heck with it and keeps playing his xbox. I'm using the file as a example, it could be just about anything.

My mentor was a journeyman plumber before he went into WW2 in 1943. It seems like the mindset from that generation was different than now days. When he was teaching me plumbing, I would ask about doing something different and he would say lets try it. He was so open minded and nothing was cut and dried so to speak but he was from the pre-WWW era. I don't see that much now.


Maybe I'm pondering too much LOL

[kyratshooter]

You are pondering too much!

You are right but you are pondering too much.

I have been going through the same thing while considering an AK build.

Everyone is an expert, even if they are fools on film.

It really irritates me to watch someone do something really foolish and then claim the whole idea is invalid because THEY can not do it, when they could not find their own butt with both hands.

I learned my blacksmithing and knife forging before the iternet was generally available too. You found someone with the knowledge you needed or you learned by trial and error.

Sometimes trial and error is faster then a web search with confusing results.

Then there is always the guy on the internet that repeatedly says,"go buy one".

Still, the web is great for finding the location of hidden components inside the door panels of your car, finding the best prices on things and getting directions.

Just watch out if you are doing a medical search. There are some very professional looking websites out there hyping bogus medical advice. You can do yourself a real disservice if you are not careful.

[madmax]

He's got a new porch to rock and ponder on. Transcendental...

[randyt]

that dang porch, I knew it was going to be trouble

[randyt]

I'm going to quit pondering and start ruminating

[Rick]

I would rather have too much information than not enough. I've always been that way. I've never had a problem thinking out of the box but sometimes I forget where the box is so its nice to have all that info just to know where the boundaries are. Yeah, don't over think it. Just remember if the rocking chair is not rocking right you don't have to rebuild it. Just move it. Chances are pretty good it's the floor.

[hunter63]

It's easy to get overwhelmed....and although I use Google as a lookup tool...and do watch You tubes....it's easy to get led in the wrong direction id you don't have a good idea of how something should go to start with.

Lot's of crappy You Tubes....but a few good ones that are very helpful....just need to decide which is which.

Gonna have to try "ruminating"......

I do "sleep on it" from time to time....LOL

[WalkingTree]

Too much info is never too much. It's all about data assimilation. The trick is interpreting and sifting through the info. You gotta know how to judge the efficacy, legitimacy, applicability, and objectivity of said info. And how to weed out other's personal opinions based on their attitude and experience, per how you might be quite different than them.

[randyt]

too much info has never been a problem for me. I have my own library within my house. I also have a BS meter that filters out bs. But I have seen folks overwhelmed with the conflicting info they have found on the internet to the point they never get started or are scared away. For gosh sake I posted a family remedy once and was accused of making nitro glycerin LOL. yea I found it hilarious

[crashdive123]

I'm guessing that you have to clean out that filter quite often to keep it from getting clogged up.

[Antonyraison]

I heard the term.
but in relation to this thread its just like siftting through the plethora of advice good, bad and otherwise and the Trolls
You want to do something do it, not sure how to do something ask or find out, if advice is given with no experience ignore.

[WalkingTree]

I'm guessing that you have to clean out that filter quite often to keep it from getting clogged up.

I have to clean the filter too often and have gotten tired of it.

[2dumb2kwit]

It's just a matter of sorting through the info. (Sometimes, that gets so involved that trial and error seem's faster.) When I found this forum, I was searching "survival". Sites from zombie killing, to killing everyone that gets within a mile of your bunker, to end of the world stuff. Finding this site was like a breath of fresh air. hahahaha. I guess what survival is to me, is actually more like homesteading. Or, back when I was growing up in the country, what everyone called "life". LOL

[Rick]

Finding this site was like a breath of fresh air.

We must have just aired the place out. 'Cause you know what it's usually like around here. Good to see you back!

[hunter63]

Whow....Lookie who stopped in.....Good to see you.

[crashdive123]

Sure did miss the mule.

[Old GI]

I have a philosophy developed over the years. The worst decision is one you made too late to affect the outcome. The second worst decision is one you made before you needed and obtained all the info you can get.

[WolfVanZandt]

Obtaining information is an art. The biggest problem I've seen is when people don't take the small trouble of evaluating their sources. The primary skill for coming up with answers with partial information seems to me to be the ability to evaluate patterns. We all can do it but it requires exposure to a lot of such kinds of problems and, unless people go out of their way to be exposed, they're usually geezer age before that can build up the experience points (sorry, I live with a bunch of gamers.)