Knowledge is Power...ful

Anxiety, depression, plaguing us completely un-announced. Not very polite. It is an animal that feeds, most of the time without us even realizing it. Just as we feed off of information, it too will do the same, but it will twist it and wring it out until there's not a single drop left. Our culture's idea of an education is skewed, which results in stressful lifestyles that ironically will lead to both anxiety and depression. And for what purpose? To advance us as a nation? Or to puff ourselves up to showcase biceps not made of steel, but air? Obtaining and researching and absorbing information is crucial, but what we do with that information is just as important.

For myself, I recognize that I will get various "highs" from information, but just as alcohol gives me that initial buzz, it slowly filters into a self-destructive state. I'm like all the rest, jumped on the bandwagon of "podcasts" and I love it. I'll throw them on and listen whilst doing other simple tasks and chores throughout the day. It's nice, it's peaceful, and it feels like a purpose-filled way to use my time and do a bit of multi-tasking. I can wash dishes AND learn about how my brain works, or what others are doing with their lives, how novel. The danger comes when I obtain said information through my ear, only to be relinquished through my mouth later on to impress someone or give a false appearance. In the end, the dishes don't fully get washed, and I am sadly none the wiser. Hours later though, if you were to ask, I'd say I had quite the productive afternoon. Sometimes it's not even a problem of misusing the information, but simply not obtaining in the first place. I receive it one ear, it skips past the mouth, and goes right on out the other ear. Like drinking something I like the taste of only to spit it back out, never really consuming anything.

Let us learn from Willy Wonka, who introduced the idea of a land where everything was edible. It's a magical idea, no doubt, but it doesn't actually seem that far off from reality. Everything surrounding us has a way of being consumed in one way or another. And we'd be lying if we said we didn't have a little Augustus Gloop in us, always leaning towards that chocolate river. Hell, it looks good. Who can say no to chocolate? It naturally has caffeine that we could use as energy to move forward, but if made into say, a brownie, iit will promote lethargy and become counter-productive. Enlightened thinkers down the line rarely made note of their own knowledge or success, instead they used it as fuel for discoveries and cures and they constantly wrestled with the fact that there was always more to learn.

It's a wonderful truth really, that there's always more to learn, more to gather and more to acheive. We can't escape this nor should we try. But moving forward and progress are important actions we can all seem to agree on. The method and mode of this, just as our educational system or government could suggest, is a bit skewed. Who's to say what moving forward really looks like? In Bill Bryson's book 'A Short History of Nearly Everything', he details, well, a little buit of everything from the past all the way to the present. Remarkably and humorously, he comes to the conclusion, despite all of the information we've obtained, that we don't actually know very much. "The fact is, there is a great deal, even at quite a fundamental level, that we don't know - not least what the universe is made of. When scientists calculate the amount of matter needed to hold things together, they always come up desperately short. It appears that at least 90 percent of the universe , and perhaps as much as 99 percent, is composed of Fritz Zwicky's 'Dark Matter' - stuff that is by nature is invisible to us. It is slightly galling to think that we live in a universe that for the most part we can't even see, but there you are". And here we are, moving forward, or so we'd say. I'm afraid remark could use a little perspective.

Hardly am I trying to argue against all the progress that has been made down the line, but again, what we do with information and/progress can be just as important as the thing itself. But acknowledging  that we don't understand everything can be a helpful platform in and of itself. For in this way we are less likely to fool ourself and become delusional in thought and action. This can happen on a grand scale and also a minute one. A belief of superiority and "correct" thinking over another country can lead to war. Meanwhile, the belief that a red dot on my arm is most certainly proof of a rare disease that must be eradicated for me to get back to 'status quo'. Our bodies, and i'd say our minds, are always working to acheive homeostasis. This balance is important for our survival. If we consume what is around us, absorb the nutrients, and then actively pursue further working off of what we have ingested to better the people around us, and also to take care of ourselves, we're certainly moving forward by my definition.

When we tap into this world we don't understand, we might be all too shocked what comes out of it. Hang in there, it's all too shocking for me too. But I'd never want to dis-illusion myself otherwise. When introduced with a powerful force, there will no doubt be trembling and resitance. We must all work together in moving forward and acknowledging that we don't fully understand everything. In our personal doubts and fears, may this give us peace, and may we find rest in not knowing or having complete control. For knowledge is power...ful.