Written by catherine• March 2, 2023• 8:03 am• Survival • Views: [tptn_views]

Book Review: “The Velocity of Information” by David P. Perrodin

Premise: For Dr. David Perrodin, events of chaos and other people’s reactions to them have been the main target of his profession. The global chaos attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic prompted him to review the behavior of people and populations in greater detail. Perrodin says that if we study the reactions to different stages of chaos, others will have the opportunity to anticipate and position themselves out of danger and ahead of the herd. Perrodin explores the impact of time perception during traumatic events and the flexibility to acknowledge factual information by observing seemingly mundane details. Unfortunately, by utilizing external sources corresponding to the 24/7 news, people dismiss what must be confirmed by what is occurring directly in front of them.

Our review of “The Speed of Information: Human Thinking in a Time of Chaos”

411: Chaos strikes day by day world wide. Whether it’s war, political turmoil, violent protests, weather or some other event. Perrodin uses real-life examples to provide the reader a big selection of tools to make use of as a method to counter this chaos. Starting with an assessment of the events of chaos, Perrodin guides you thru the origins of those events and helps the reader determine what actions they need to take to guard themselves. When chaos breaks out, information will flow in, people will probably be overwhelmed, and the speed of those details known as the speed of knowledge (VOI).

One area people experience during a chaos event is a period of intense disbelief followed by a bent towards normality. The normality bias refers back to the attitude one adopts within the face of catastrophe. People with a bent to normal have a tough time reacting to something they have not experienced before. They also are inclined to interpret warnings in probably the most optimistic way, using any ambiguities to infer a less serious situation.

Each chapter focuses on a distinct tool for sifting through the deluge of knowledge persons are bombarded with during chaos. Situational awareness as considered one of the tools. Most people use it to some extent but are unaware of its full potential. Many people rarely use it because they’re busy looking at their phone or just looking down on the pavement avoiding eye contact. An easy tool that has been missed nowadays is membership checks. Checking out members or connecting to a network of trustees, whether in your area, in your state, or in a foreign country, can enable you determine if the knowledge you hear and see from the federal government or the media is factually correct.

I discovered the Situational Awareness section with Joe Dolio extremely useful. Dolio is a US Marine Corps Veteran, Certified Fraud Examiner and Certified Forensic Examiner with over 20 years of experience in the company security investigation industry. In late 2020, Dolio noticed signs in local grocery stores restricting chicken purchases. Since this means a possible shortage, Dolio bought additional chickens after which decided to examine whether the knowledge was accurate or not. Using his member background check network, Dolio was in a position to learn that the local cold store was understaffed as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, and other areas in his state weren’t experiencing shortages. Since the shortages were localized, it was probably temporary until the grocery chain could arrange alternative chicken deliveries. While this is an easy tactic, most individuals would not even consider doing it, let alone checking a member’s network configuration.

Other areas discussed include a piece on the varieties of prejudice people have, as past experiences influence how information is perceived. Perrodin states that: “The unconscious desire to remain inside our comfortable torus (the torus theory is ingrained human behavior tending to an analogous state of being) is powerful and contributes significantly to cognitive bias in any given situation. An individual’s finite tension or breaking point from the stress of a chaos event. Crowd behavior (cocooning), i.e. “the necessity for defense from the cruel, unpredictable realities of the surface world”, a continuum of chaos and failure to fall back inside.

Verdict

The speed of knowledge is a must read for anyone trying to improve their decision game. Perrodin breaks down the big amount of knowledge into seven chapters of useful information, using examples from real-life chaos events in addition to case studies of the people involved to assist guide your decision-making process. The rules apply whether it’s real chaos, a hurricane, protests, an industrial accident, or simply odd life. The speed of knowledge it should empower its readers with its learnable moments and actionable elements. To quote Perrodin: “Stop outsourcing your pondering. The more you steer your personal wheel, the harder it’s for others to steer you.”