title: Receiving Information is a Way to Reduce Uncertainty
date: 2023-11-17T23:23:07+08:00
slug: new-information-reduces-uncertainty
tags:
- Essay
description: New things bring uncertainty, but delving into them actually enhances our certainty about the external world.
draft: false
The transmission of new information reduces some uncertainty for the receiver.
Personally, I dislike uncertainty very much. If I don't have travel plans or things aren't clearly planned out, I can't imagine how anxious and uneasy I would feel throughout the process.
Therefore, I tend to make definite plans in my personal life, clearly stating what to do in each time period, setting short-term goals, and checking them off after completion. Lists make me feel at ease, and checking them off gives me positive feedback.
However, I also enjoy encountering new things. If I happen to develop a new interest, I will be consumed by it, which is the easiest thing for me to enter a state of flow besides gaming. However, new things usually come with greater uncertainty. Therefore, sometimes I wonder why I like two completely different lifestyles.
Recently, I have had some thoughts. Regardless of the environment we are in, we are constantly reacting, absorbing, and processing various information. In ancient times, most people only had to deal with information within a five-kilometer radius, but now, as soon as we open our eyes, we are immersed in infinite information, which in itself brings great uncertainty.
When we start to explore a new field, it may seem like we are entering a realm full of uncertainty, but in reality, we are just entering a subset of the entire field. With gradual understanding, we eliminate uncertainty and enhance our understanding and certainty about the external world.
In fact, certainty still brings me a sense of security. I am still the person who seeks certainty.