We tend to place great importance on the practical and emotional value of knowing things, with greater knowledge being associated with more safety, happiness and wellbeing. The problem is that much of what we think we know is a product of subjective perception about people and events. It’s important to realize that our understanding of truth is unique to ourselves, but has no more claim to objectivity than the truths of others. Sometimes, analyzing a subject more or doing something about it is not the answer, and we are better off letting it be.
Key Takeaways:
- During our early years, we spend a lot of time learning how to do stuff like walk, talk, read, play sports, and have conversations.
- We’ve been indoctrinated into the belief that knowing makes us powerful, helps us stay safe, and is important to our happiness and survival.
- Knowing also gives us a sense of control because when we know something, we feel we are in control and when in control, we feel less vulnerable.
“And yet the belief persists: we have to know in order to stay safe and be okay. A great anxiety thus forms within us, in the space of this gap. As a result, we start desperately trying to figure out life.”