Intellect

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Authors:  Peter Swirski 
DOI: 10.1386/jspc.1.1.13_1

Keywords
zettabyte problem,infoglut,information overload,publish or perish,replication crisis,knowledge economy

Abstract
In the age of environmental catastrophes, political upheavals and economic meltdowns a mere informational crisis may not sound too worrisome. But even as we try not to lose too much sleep over it, our behaviour is best modelled by the proverbial ostrich burying its head in the sand. My contention is that we better start losing sleep over it. Informationally we live in the era of Cliffpocalypsemageddonacaust, with the toxic consequences it has on the entire system of generating and disseminating knowledge, no matter which side of the Two Cultures divide you hail from. My goal is to spell out some of these consequences, although with little expectation of kindling a retrenchment, let alone reform. This is because, if anything I say below is true, in all likelihood it is too late for that.