Knowledge Verses Attainment
It seems like our society is addicted to knowledge. We have programs like Jeopardy and other quiz shows. It seems like the more data one can tout, the smarter they are and admired by society. Knowing information is commendable. We can see how this plays out in our educational system. Much of the testing consists of spewing forth facts that were learned in the class. Many of the tests are multiple choice or true and false. It is almost as though being smart is simply regurgitating what went in. What is the point of knowing all of these facts? How does this serve humanity?
If we look at Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, we notice that knowledge is right towards the top. It comes after our basic needs are met. Yet, have you ever questioned the point of all this knowledge?
Acquiring knowledge is an exercise of the ego for many. Have you ever tried to keep your hand down when a question to which you know the answer is being asked? It is so hard to keep your hand down! It is so important for everyone to know how smart you are!
And, our society awards "smartness." We get scholarships and good jobs. We get certificates and trophies. It feels wonderful to be brilliant and have that brilliance acknowledged.
Yet, what good is it to simply acquire knowledge? When knowledge is applied to an attainable goal, it changes everything. Let me explain. Let’s use the example of a recipe. If one has the most magnificent recipe for a cake but never bakes it, what do you have? All you have is simply the potential for a tasty dessert. In truth, it would not matter if you did not have the recipe. If you do not use the knowledge of the recipe to bake the cake or share it with others, it remains dormant.
Perhaps it is time for humanity to seek knowledge for a different reason. We need to use the knowledge we have acquired towards attainment. There is nothing special about simply knowing facts if they cannot be attached to something meaningful.
As we move through our lives acquiring knowledge, we have the opportunity to look at it and see how it works in our lives. What a shame for humanity to die with our music stuck inside. Knowledge without attainment is supreme waste.
Attainment is the successful conclusion to the accumulation of knowledge. And so it is!
