No. 105 There's too much conflicting information. Happy HolyDays!
No. 105 • 12/26/2025
Dear readers,
When it comes to conversations, there's an enormous difference between people having varied opinions and an inability to dialog due to Too Much Conflicting Information. The first leads to fruitful, even if combative discussions. The second leads to total confusion, where everyone seems to be speaking a different language. I'm fine with the former, but absolutely committed to eradicating the latter.
Discourse vs Too Much Conflicting Information
At its best, discourse develops out of informed opinions based on varied takes on a topic, where a number of key agreements are already established. For example, two people debating to what extent mRNA vaccines prevent serious viral infection is discourse. The parties agree viruses are real, and that mRNA vaccines are valid forms of intervention, albeit with varying degrees of effectiveness.
Too Much Conflicting Information is misinformed noise that breaks down meaningful communication due to a lack of agreement on almost every detail. When two people can't agree on whether vaccines are a valid intervention, because one person believes vaccines are part of a nefarious, liberal plot to inject mind-controlling computer chips into the bloodstream, this is a result of not only Too Much Conflicting Information, but of an intentional manipulation of Too Much Conflicting Information.
In the zettelkasten world, we experience something similar, though admittedly to a far lesser degree of concern.
When two people can't discuss how best to use literature notes, because they can't agree on what a literature note is, that's a result of Too Much Conflicting Information due to dozens (if not hundreds) of misinformed articles, each a deteriorating copy of the former. Extend this decay in comprehension to fleeting notes, main notes, structure notes, hub notes, indexes, digital platforms, paper-based systems, and how best to translate zettel into English, and you've entered what passes as discourse in the zettelkasten community.
🎶 Wouldn't it be nice 🎶 to have an agreed upon baseline for everyday conversations?
Most people I come in contact with want a knowledge management system they can rely on—one that doesn't require overhauling every six months. They want to talk with people who either have or are in the process of building their own system. They want to discuss principles, practices, workflows, strategies, and getting things done. And, they want to do it without having to debate every word, term, phrase, or concept.
The System for Writing Master Course clears up all that conflicting information
As head moderator of the r/Zettelkasten subreddit (and as an online stalker of all things zettelkasten), I'm in touch with every meaningful zettelkasten conversation taking place on the internet. With over 25,000 members, I know all the FAQs, the most persistent "pain points" and "bottlenecks," the common confusions, and the myriad of bad advice articles attempting to "help." I've also been privy to the disruptive effects of a community who can't agree on even the most basic of terms and concepts.
For the past three years, I've taught zettelkasten enthusiasts and writers to not only build a system for writing that works, but how to navigate all the maze of conflicting information. I've literally written the book on the subject.
The System for Writing Master Course confronts Too Much Conflicting Information head-on, because it's informed by years of engagement with every conversation on the zettelkasten and all the ways people confuse one another.
Does it work?
“Here's Bob's mic drop moment. Solving the confusion in 2 minutes.” — Dave, cohort 3
To learn more about the course, two different options for participation, and how to sign up for one-on-one coaching sessions, [click here].
Happy holidays and HolyDays,
Bob
What I'm up to
Last week I had the pleasure of giving a free "Zettelkasten 101" to Mike Schmitz's PKM community. He's awesome. It was awesome.
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