Articles Quote by Pankaj Mishra
“The internet has spawned people for whom knowingness is more important than knowledge. It equips you with the illusion of offering knowledge instantly - and quite easily - so you can read a few articles on a few subjects and feel well informed but not actually know any of those subjects in any depth.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: “The Internet and the Illusion of Knowledge” in The New Yorker, 2020
The internet encourages superficial learning, valuing the appearance of knowledge over deep understanding, leading to shallow expertise.
In simple terms: Internet promotes shallow knowledge.
Key Takeaway
Prioritize depth over breadth in learning.
Themes
knowledge
technology
depth
Mood
critical
concerned
Type
analytical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- academic research
- professional training
- self‑education
- media consumption
Key Concepts
information overload
epistemic humility
digital culture
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we balance speed and depth?
- What practices foster true expertise?
A Different Perspective
It may overlook the benefits of quick access to diverse information.
![“I wrote an article about the marine landing [in Haiti] right away, but barely mentioned the oil, because my article would come out two months later and I assumed by then, "of course, everybody knows." Nobody knew. There was a news report in the Wall Street Journal, in the petroleum journals, and…” quote by Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/dc5/noam-chomsky-42_articles_i-wrote-an-article-about-the-marine-land_13341.jpg)
