While knowledge is important, a position of not-knowing about the threats we face sparks curiosity and the motivation to navigate uncertainty together.
This is a phenomenal paper! The old adage “ignorance is bliss” comes to mind. We are such data, information hoarders now, that a level of ignorance may still leave us pretty well informed. We think we can fight nature and time; we have the insatiable need to control, fight change, and be certain. Uncertainty and change are the hallmarks of nature…existence! We are battling ourselves in a no win situation. You mention great points and I want to look into the sources you cite as well. This goes into some deep philosophical and true psychological research (we should all be anti pop science, medicine, etc). Sadly we can’t even be sure the information we do gather is legitimate. But again people search for 100% certainty and it doesn’t exist. At some point we have to be comfortable with a level of information, data, knowing and go live life; make that choice as best you can and move on. Don’t be the old California 49er panning for gold in the empty creek hoping for that miracle. There are things we should all know in order to survive day to day and it could be different for everyone. But there is a great feeling of release when you no longer feel that itch to have to know, to drop the relentless desire for information and data. What’s the right level of knowing versus not knowing for people? Well, who knows? And I’m okay with that.
Thank you Guenter! Agree - feels like this is such a central theme that perhaps reflects the nature of the time we are in. Like your California 49er analogy!
This is a phenomenal paper! The old adage “ignorance is bliss” comes to mind. We are such data, information hoarders now, that a level of ignorance may still leave us pretty well informed. We think we can fight nature and time; we have the insatiable need to control, fight change, and be certain. Uncertainty and change are the hallmarks of nature…existence! We are battling ourselves in a no win situation. You mention great points and I want to look into the sources you cite as well. This goes into some deep philosophical and true psychological research (we should all be anti pop science, medicine, etc). Sadly we can’t even be sure the information we do gather is legitimate. But again people search for 100% certainty and it doesn’t exist. At some point we have to be comfortable with a level of information, data, knowing and go live life; make that choice as best you can and move on. Don’t be the old California 49er panning for gold in the empty creek hoping for that miracle. There are things we should all know in order to survive day to day and it could be different for everyone. But there is a great feeling of release when you no longer feel that itch to have to know, to drop the relentless desire for information and data. What’s the right level of knowing versus not knowing for people? Well, who knows? And I’m okay with that.
Thank you Guenter! Agree - feels like this is such a central theme that perhaps reflects the nature of the time we are in. Like your California 49er analogy!