Commoditization of Knowledge and the Flow State
What I read this week
Article: What happens when knowledge is commoditized?
From generating answers, summarizing proses/audio/video links, providing recommendations, writing software code in matter of seconds, GenAI seems to be democratizing techncial expertise just like the printing press democratized access to knowledge, few centuries back.
Knowledge has been clearly commoditized. What happens to the role of a knowledge worker? The outlook isn’t necessarily discouraging if you view the glass as half full.
The opportunities to upskill are immense considering the availability of resources , distilled to the most elemetary form, at your fingertips. All that one needs additionally to thrive in this new landscape, is high agency, ability to discern and refined soft skills.
Article: How we lost the flow
Recently, I picked up the violin after few months of hiatus. As a beginner, I focused all my attention onto playing the instrument with care, acutely aware that a minor slip-up can produce a screechy note. For the longest time, I have resisted learning the violin owing to my dread of hearing the sreech. Ironically, it’s this very fear that made me focus intensely at the task (instrument) in hand. Soon I found myself entering the flow state where I lost track of time, my surroundings and even my identity. Not because I played like Ambi Subramaniam but because I played with a strong intent to avoid a scratchy note.
Fortunate are the ones who experience flow states at work. For a research analyst, it could be while building a financial model of a new, unique business or while crafting a thematic piece. For a founder, it could be when passionately explaining the business model to potential investors. A skilled storyteller is like the musician conductor gliding his audience into a flow state. As the audience, you don’t want to break free out of it. One memorable instance that I recall - lucky to have experienced several - was when a founder of a BNPL (buy now pay later) company talking about consumer pyschology and spending habits. Starting off with relatable topics before veering into the more technical jargons of BNPL industry was a masterclass in storytelling.
Innumerable distractions that are a button away, have diminished our ability to get into a flow state. Learning to play the musical instrument is my small effort to combat these distractions.