As a result of the invention of the internet, the spreading of smartphones and the rise of big data, our society has turned into a knowledge culture – you have access to almost any kind of information anywhere and at any point of time. This is a trend that is going to continue and grow in the future, with more information becoming available to more people and with the number of illiterate adults decreasing annually.
It has become completely normal to google things on the go and to have on-demand access to everything we need. For example, can you imagine not having access to google (or any other search engine)? Can you imagine having to go to the library every time you wanted to know something? I can’t. That is a consequence of the knowledge culture that has emerged in the course of the last two decades.
More Information
We are heading towards a future that will have access to an increasing amount of information. Big data is being collected by an increasing number of companies and from an increasing number of sources. Data is thought of as a new goldmine, and consequently a lot is being done to increase the amount of information we have available.
What makes data so valuable for companies is its use for making predictions about the future and about users. The more you know about the habits of your target group, the easier it will be to develop products and services that are aligned with their needs and wants.
Apart from improving the user experience, more data also allows us to establish the Internet of Things, build smart cities, and streamline old processes to make them more efficient and sustainable. With the right kind of information, education could be tailored perfectly to each learner’s needs, political decisions could be made on the basis of data instead of opportunism, and systems that require information to work smoothly (weather predictions, transportation schedules, waste mangement, etc.) could run more accurately and smoothly.
More Learning
At the same time, the global level of education is increasing rapidly with more people getting access to educational opportunities. This will not only have the effect of increasing the global level of equality as higher education for more people gives more people access to better opportunities, but it should also have the effect of increasing the number of innovations and inventions being made. The more people get involved in creative work and entrepreneurial endeavors, the brighter our future looks.
Another part of the knowledge culture is its emphasis on lifelong learning. With so much information being readily available to anyone with internet access, we will be expected and forced to continuously grow ourselves and acquire new skills. On the one hand, this is a great opportunity to fulfill our full potential and increase our skill level, but on the other hand, it might also become a stress factor if we never feel adequate.
What You Can Do to Develop Knowledge Culture
The knowledge culture is to some extent already here, but it will become even more widespread and influential in the near future. Here is what you can do to prepare yourself for it:
- Make it a habit to learn: Whether it is reading books, taking courses, watching educational videos or learning through our pirates community, each day gives you the chance to learn and grow. You don’t have to read a book every day – but taking a tiny step every day adds up. You can read more about this in our post about How to Become a Lifelong Learner
- Use the information available: When you are starting new projects, conduct user research and collect other relevant information. It will improve your decision making and increase your chances of success. The information you need is there. You just need to go out and collect it.
- Be curious about & question the world: As our knowledge about the world expands, our ability to improve it expands as well. Many processes can be made more efficient and sustainable with the help of information. Don’t blindly accept the world as it is. Be brave and provide the changes necessary.
- Be adaptable and resourceful: As we get access to ever more information, we will have to adapt quicker to our surroundings than ever before. If we get stuck in old systems based on outdated data, success is placed outside our grasp.
Knowledge is power, and with great power comes great responsibility. That’s true now and it will be just as true in the future. Keep that in mind when you sail into the deep waters of knowledge.
