[kaitai]

I don't understand this statement: "You don't necessarily gain any new awareness by paying attention to something or someone, you gain information."

How does anyone gain awareness of anything, then? Surely not by ignoring it?

I'd urge you to sit in the forest for a day (or the prairie or the desert -- anyhow, in nature, away from buildings and cars and phones) and pay attention. What do you gain from doing so?

You will find you simply notice different and new things if you spend the time (again, pay/spend... interesting). Perhaps you'll be able to codify this into "information". I'd be interested to see your notes.