Acquire Quote by Alan Kay
“I think the trick with knowledge is to “acquire it, and forget all except the perfume” - because it is noisy and sometimes drowns out one's own “brain voices”. The perfume part is important because it will help find the knowledge again to help get to the destinations the inner urges pick.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: 1995, Computer History Museum, Alan Kay discussing knowledge management
Knowledge should be captured like scent: retain the essence while discarding excess noise, allowing later retrieval of core insights.
In simple terms: Keep the essence, discard the clutter.
Key Takeaway
Capture core ideas, let details fade.
Themes
learning
memory
creativity
Mood
thoughtful
inquisitive
Type
philosophical
practical
When to use this quote
- research notes
- personal journaling
- creative brainstorming
Key Concepts
knowledge management
cognitive load
Questions to Reflect On
- What essence do you keep?
- How do you retrieve forgotten insights?
A Different Perspective
Over‑filtering may lose useful details.
![“If the State does not acquire supremacy over [vast private] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State.” quote by Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/bad/bertrand-russell-69_acquire_if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy_1379.jpg)
