I’ve had this issue lately where I read something, process it, and stick it in the back of my brain for a while. We all do it, we passively absorb knowledge each and every day. It may be the newspaper, television, a co-worker, or heck, even something you read on Twitter.

But, then I come to the issue of recalling the knowledge’s source. I can easily describe this random fact or analysis I’ve come up with but I have no idea where it came from. Did I read it in the newspaper or on someone’s blog? Did someone say it to me in conversation and then I later read the details online? I have so much information coming at me I’m not sure who put it there! This becomes especially frustrating when I want to go back and clarify or get more information—I’m not sure where to start looking!

But, the best part lately is this: I start spewing a brilliant idea, concept or analysis and then have to stop myself. “Shoot, did I come up with this or did I read it on Andrew’s blog?” Sometimes I’m the synthesizer of this knowledge (I read fact X, and fact Y and put together thought Z) but sometimes I question myself. Is there such a thing as an original thought anymore?

I’m posting this online right now but some guy in Boston probably wrote about it two weeks ago. Or some philosopher talked about it centuries ago. Maybe?