Knowledge Is Limiting – Get Wisdom Instead
Confucius (551-479 BC), said, Real knowledge is to know the extent of one’s ignorance.
We usually go through life armed with our experience and what we have learnt by reading and listening and we consider ourselves to be learned and full of knowledge. We will hold our ground and based on our opinions take on all comers as we defend our viewpoint.
Oh, if we could only see that we are like ants, most of whom cannot see and rely on their antlers to feel, all scurrying around believing that the ground is the extent of the world and that nothing exists above ground level, as that’s the extent of our vision, perception and perspective.
When we know that what we know is so little then perhaps we can begin our true education and gleaning of knowledge. Socrates (469-399BC), said it best, One thing only I know, and that is that I know nothing.
Of course, the search for wisdom is far from the search for knowledge as knowledge is of the temporal things of this world whereas wisdom is the search and understanding of the eternal universe.
The beginning of knowledge is when you announce, I don’t know, and the beginning of wisdom is when your knees hit the floor in surrender, vulnerability and prayer to your Higher Power.
The one distinct advantage of knowledge is to dispel fear for if something is known it cannot be feared. Once something is known an action plan, or a decision to remain inactive, can be devised to minimise the danger of the threat, previously the fear of the threat, or to capitalise on the opportunity that others may see as a threat through their ignorance of lack of knowledge.
We must take care that our knowledge is not information gleaned with prejudice in mind but it is unbiased and independently assessed as true knowledge. Often when we think, what we are actually doing is merely arranging our prejudicial views in order to suit our argument.
Usually, we do not see things as there are, but as we are. Knowledge requires complete understanding to avoid it being prejudicial information that suits our current position.
Personally, I use the 6 Wise Men to obtain knowledge, Messrs. What, Why, When, Who, Where and How. If I need further help, I call on Mr If to question all that knowledge and make sure it stands up to scrutiny.
Information is different to knowledge. We know that one and one makes two. That is information. Knowledge is knowing what and means. That is where knowledge moves from information to transformation.
There comes a time when people move from knowledge to wisdom. When people love people and use things instead of loving things and using people.
Knowledge may find the road to becoming blissful but wisdom is the vehicle to traverse the road to its destination.