XCS is a term disambiguated from the word excess. It means:
Consumption of too much information from traditional sources (newspapers, magazines) and digital sources (Internet, phones, television).
The word XCS is a neologism. Or is it a protologism?
Neologisms are words and terms that have recently been coined, generally do not appear in any dictionary, but may be used widely or within certain communities. Protologisms are neologisms that have not yet caught on widely.
Back to the definition of XCS …
XCS is the need for (too much) information. Also known as information overload. This information comes from many sources such as television, telephone, newspapers, magazines and the Internet. Especially this latter source is responsible for the new digital information disease.
The results and effects of XCS? Information junkies! People that are information curious and thanks (?) to the Internet, which is now easy and quick to find all kind of data, they get distracted by various interesting topics and issues during their web surfing. Like real surfing … the waves often offers a surprise and not often you can stay in balance going one direction. Web surfing often results in endless and pointless or aimless surfing.
Each year more people have internet and spend lots of time behind the PC or notebook. Nowadays the non-stop Internet can be provided us with (presumably) unlimited information and many are using this opportunity … just to satisfy their information thirst. Many of the Internet time is spent on applications like Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and YouTube. These social networks have become essential in the daily lives of many people. Especially for those who searches for information and wants to stay up to date with the latest news.
Why is it so important to constantly be stay up dated with the news, and especially news from the social network? Is it because they are afraid to stay behind and missing news, events or opportunities? One of the most used keystrokes when having Facebook and Twitter open, is (mass-)function of the Refresh or the F5 function key … used to check whether new information or news is available. It seems that the fear of missing information, has more to do with wanting to hear and want to be seen, but it can result in the almost obsessive behavior that makes a person to become an information junkie.
From the way people deal with increasingly searching for information, it can also be concluded that the fastest news is considered as the most important news. Also receiving much news is important, so that quantity becomes more important than quality. It is obvious that the overload of information makes the separation between relevant and irrelevant news more difficult for the information junkie. Naturally, this applies especially to those who has almost an insatiable need for information.
With the introduction of smart-phones, XCS could very well take a dramatic flight. From that moment, thanks to the permanent Internet connection, which no longer depends on the notebook at home, the whole day XCS looking for news and information will go on.
Can we prevent and/or cure the XCS disease?
That part I invite you to discuss it here or elsewhere. I believe that the awareness is the first (good) step to the cure. Let me know your opinion, here or on your own website/blog … or elsewhere. In last case let us know where.