A couple of days ago I created the note Copperminds are a second brain. This is how it reads.
Copperminds are a second brain
The Terris people in Mistborn store knowledge in metal bands they wear on their bodies, called copperminds. Knowledge is transferred into the coppermind as a true Second brain because any knowledge stored leaves their memory immediately, yet can be recalled as long as the metal band is worn.
Copperminds store more than an single mind can hold and represent a near perfect Personal knowledge management system.
There is no mechanism for backup. To transfer knowledge one Terris must read it to another who can then store what they hear.
That’s just rubbish as far as the original intention when I first had the idea. It was difficult to write and felt wrong the whole time. Here’s what I should have written.
Sazed's copperminds
I was listening to The Hero of Ages in the car on the way to visit a client in Geelong. As I approached Ballan, Sazed reluctantly reconnected with his copperminds. Only he has access the knowledge needed to engineer a water diversion solution.
I thought how useful it is to have all our personal knowledge at our fingertips and saw the copperminds as Sazed’s Personal knowledge management system. He had an idea what was in there, and pulled up the index to find it.
Sazed’s system is organised more akin to a library than a Zettelkasten. He uses indexes as Structure notes to help recall information he once knew, then he returns it to the shelf.
I connect strongly with having one’s life knowledge immediately available.
The second note form is more me. Easy to write and makes the connections I want to make. That first entry was written for others and not even my Future self.
It wasn’t until I thought about this post, that I recognised the beginnings of The NoMa Method at play. Something piqued my attention and I thought about it, adding detail to my coppermind.
There is a pattern I can look for in the future. When a note is too difficult to write, it’s likely I’m trying to write the perfect note for someone else, and not me.