TIL Phantom Fluency
Phantom Fluency is an idea from Terry Godier describing the feeling that you are fluent in a concept, idea, story, but when you try to explain it in depth or find the source for it…you can’t.
It’s common in many mediums, but he argues that it is especially prevalent in podcasts where, thanks to the intimacy and engagement, your brain feels like it understands the information. But because there is no participation like you’d have in a conversation *nor* is there any kind of formatting or note-taking…the knowledge is just…somewhere?
The essay resonated with me since I’ve really been rethinking how I consume podcasts. I love the format, but I think Phantom Fluency hits on a key idea. I’ve bulk unsubscribed to so many, especially podcasts where the goal is supposed to be compounded learning and narrowed down podcasts to current events (notably ones that feel healthier than current events via video or text).
