Curating knowedge
We must beware of a certain craze for collecting which sometimes takes possession of those who make notes. They want to have a full notebook or filing cabinet; they are in a hurry to put something in the empty spaces, and they accumulate passages as other people fill stamp and postcard albums.
A.D. Sertillanges • THE INTELLECTUAL LIFE, Its Spirit, Conditions, Methods - Sertillanges
Sometimes careful note-collection can be a cure for forgetfulness; the problem is not collecting, but losing focus on understanding what matters.
Taking notes, I’ve come to realize, is a form of collecting. I’ve never been interested in collecting physical things, but when it comes to beautiful literary quotes, I have thousands of notebook entries.
Jillian Hess • Alfred Kinsey's Notes on Americans' Sex-Lives
