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The Nature of Links

J_IkkerJ_Ikker
in The Zettelkasten Method

Hello all,

I recently discovered the Zettelkasten system and thought it seemed a disciplinary and constructive tool for someone who makes connections between ideas all day long but doesn't write them down (like me). I've gotten as far as downloading Obsidian, reading the first chapter of a book called "The Bitcoin Standard," writing fleeting notes, and then polishing the relevant ones into literature notes. What repeatedly evades my understanding, however, is the nature of links.

I do not know when or how to use links. For example, if I have a note that defines the economic term "coincidence of wants," and I have another note discussing how "indirect exchange enables coincidence of wants in a diverse economy," should I: reference "coincidence" inside "indirect exchange"; reference "indirect exchange" in "coincidence"; do both of those; not link them at all but tag both notes with "coincidence of wants" and find them when I do the color-coded tag search?

And then there's the matter of linking two (seemingly) unrelated ideas. Do they get linked to each other, and then to a third note of the new idea they inspire? Both notes separately linked to the third?

Help is appreciated.

Comments

  • Steve625Steve625

    @J_Ikker, if you haven't read https://zettelkasten.de/introduction/ I would probably recommend starting with Sascha's essential "The Body of the Zettel." It provides a good example, and the forum has many excellent examples of how to incorporate links into your Zettelkasten.

  • WillWill

    It all depends—it's just me. I'm no expert.

    I tend to but not always link towards a definition with little linking outbound. Not always. About half the time, I link to examples. I place simple definitions in line with the tag #definition. I tend not to use tags for things that can be easily searched using a full-text search. If I tagged these notes, I'd choose something like #bartering or #alt-monetary rather than the terms used in the note itself.

    I'd recommend you continue reading "The Bitcoin Standard." When done, take a second pass thinking about how the ideas you captured inter-relate. Your ideas about how they relate may change as you read on.

    Especially at the beginning At every stage of zettelkasting, it is vital to relax, realizing you'll do a better job as your knowledge skills improve.

    @J_Ikker said:
    And then there's the matter of linking two (seemingly) unrelated ideas. Do they get linked to each other, and then to a third note of the new idea they inspire? Both notes separately linked to the third?

    If the notes are unrelated, why link them? If they are related, link them. Sometimes, if the link wants an explanation, then a third note might be called for, but skip the third note if the relationship is clear.

    Will Simpson
    My zettelkasten is for my ideas, not the ideas of others. I don’t want to waste my time tinkering with my ZK; I’d rather dive into the work itself. My peak cognition is behind me. One day soon, I will read my last book, write my last note, eat my last meal, and kiss my sweetie for the last time.
    kestrelcreek.com

  • AnnabellaAnnabella
    edited February 2022

    I'd highly recommend reading the "Getting Started" section and other blog posts from the blog. Most beginner questions are answered there.

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