Why did Naval say, 'Filtering is more important than information'?

Okay, no problem. I really relate to this issue because I suffer from information overload myself; Naval's perspective is like a much-needed antidote.

Here's my take on it, I'll try to explain it as simply as possible.

Why does Naval say "Filtering is more important than consuming"?

Think of it like this: Imagine walking into the world's biggest buffet. There are thousands of dishes – from premium Kobe beef and Michelin-starred desserts, to moldy bread and potato chips fried in gutter oil. Everything is available, and it's all free.

Decades ago, finding food (accessing information) was an impressive feat in itself. But now, you're surrounded by food (information). Your ability is no longer just "finding food," but "distinguishing what is truly nutritious and good from what is junk that will make you sick."

Naval's point is grounded precisely in this current era.

1. We Live in a Different Era: From "Information Scarcity" to "Information Overload"

In the past, accessing information was difficult. If you wanted to learn something, you had to go to the library to pore over hefty books or seek out knowledgeable teachers. Information itself was a form of power and wealth.

And now? A single smartphone gives you access to almost all the publicly available knowledge in human history. But this comes with problems:

Noise Far Exceeds Signal: Truly valuable information (signal) is drowned out by an ocean of entertainment gossip, emotionally charged comments, low-quality content, and advertisements (noise). Your feeds and news recommendations are mostly noise.
Your Attention Has Become a Commodity: Every app, media outlet, and platform is fiercely competing for your eyeballs because your attention can be monetized. They use the most sensational, emotionally provocative headlines and content to "hook" you – things that are often low on real substance.

In this environment, if you indiscriminately consume all information, it's like binge-eating at that buffet: you don't become smarter; instead, you'll suffer from intellectual indigestion, confusion, and maybe even "sickness of the mind."

2. Why is "Filtering" the Antidote?

Filtering means actively choosing what enters your mind by equipping yourself with a top-notch sieve. It offers at least three core benefits:

Protecting Your Most Precious Resource: Attention Naval believes that in the future world, an individual's most valuable personal resource isn't money or even time, but attention. Where you direct your attention shapes who you become. If your attention is consumed by endless social media and breaking news, your thinking becomes fragmented and shallow. Filtering redirects your attention away from that "junk food" towards things that foster long-term growth—like reading a classic book, learning a hard skill, or deeply contemplating a problem.
Enhancing the Quality of Your Decisions and Thinking There's a principle in computing: "Garbage In, Garbage Out" (GIGO). The information you feed your mind determines the output of your thoughts and decisions. If you're constantly exposed to biased, extreme, and low-quality information, your view of the world will naturally become biased and extreme. Through filtering, you can actively select high-quality "intellectual nutrition," such as time-tested classics, in-depth analysis from top industry experts, or knowledge grounded in facts and logic. Consequently, your decisions and judgments will naturally become clearer and more accurate.
Building a Genuine Knowledge System, Not Just a Pile of Factual Fragments Information is not knowledge. Knowing who trended on social media today is information; understanding the underlying human nature, business models, and communication principles is knowledge. Knowledge consists of mental models that can predict outcomes and be applied across different contexts. Filtering helps you ignore fleeting "information fragments" and focus instead on building "knowledge systems" of long-term value. For example, instead of chasing daily stock market news, spend time learning Warren Buffett's value investing philosophy and Charlie Munger's mental models. The former is noise; the latter is a signal you can use for life.

In Practice, How Do We "Filter"?

Naval also offers some specific methods, which I've found very useful:

Read More, Especially "Old Books": If a book has remained in circulation for decades or even centuries, it has passed through "time" – the strictest filter. Its value is far greater than today's viral article.
Pay for Important Information: For crucial information sources, prefer paid content. Paying acts as a filter, screening out masses of low-quality content and encouraging you to value what you consume.
Actively Choose Sources, Don't Depend on Passive Feeds: Don't rely on algorithm suggestions. Proactively follow people you admire who demonstrate deep thinking (on Twitter, blogs, etc.). Shift from "scrolling" to "searching" and "subscribing."
Learn Foundational Fields: Spend time learning the "first principles" of foundational disciplines like mathematics, physics, economics, and psychology. These fundamental principles are like master keys, helping you understand many complex surface problems and filter out vast amounts of irrelevant noise.

To Summarize

Naval's point boils down to this: Today, information itself is no longer power. The ability to filter information and focus your thinking is the real power.

Your goal shouldn't be to become "someone who knows many things," but to become "someone who knows what is worth knowing." This is the essence of filtering.