If you look at my collection of notes as this system, some pockets of them are driving towards knowledge creation towards some ultimate desired intention or outcome. Subliminally at least this I think is whats happening. Its a subconscious process of trying to produce new knowledge. A large amount of redundancy (as in notes for notes sake is involved) but ultimately there’s an underlying goal which, for me, is “being useful”, “doing good” something like that.
Sometimes it can feel that reading a book is just going in one ear and out the other, or that you should be getting more from it etc. in some cases this is true but with this lens of knowledge creation it takes on a bit of a new light.
Of course then, some knowledge is just out of interest unrelated to maybe a life or career goal. Although, if you look at me reading about Irish history, there are ultimate question and goals guiding when I read, what I read etc.