cognitive digestion

 

I've been thinking about cognitive digestion the last couple of days. The idea that once you come across a new idea, you need time to properly digest it for it to actually mean anything. I first came across it as a concept at the Do Lectures, where you're given a couple of back to back talks and then allowed 20 minutes or so to go outside and talk to people about what you've just heard. Those were some of the most meaningful times during the Do Lectures for me. David Hieatt decribes it as "the polo effect, it's the bit that isn't there that's the most important".

 

I've also been helping to edit a video at the minute where we've been trying two different version. One where we hit people with lots of short sharp statements back to back, and one where we allow the speakers to tell a bit of a story around the statements, put them in context and allow for some pauses and natural nuances of conversation. I far prefer the second version.

 

The final example I'd give is again from the weekend. Where I went to see Clay Shirky in conversation with Alan Rusbridger, and bumped into Rob and Molly from We All Need Words in the que. It was a pretty inspiring conversation and afterwards I wanted to talk to Rob and Molly about it, but had to make my way straight to the next session which started a few minutes afterwards. I needed the hole in the middle of the polo.

 

Comments

[flash black jack]

one where we allow the speakers to tell a bit of a story around the statements, put them in context and allow for some pauses and natural nuances of conversation. I far prefer the second version.

[Bottega Veneta sale]

But we also recollect the quaint green farms and rolling countryside