The Less I know the better!

December 01, 2020

I came across a new philosophy recently - 'knowing less is better'. Any idea what it means? Well in one way it actually means knowing less is actually better! Now before you start making judgments or think that I have lost it maybe just try to understand what this is all about!

THE PRESSURE TO KNOW EVERYTHING-

These days we live in a world where there is an invisible pressure on all of us to be our best, do our best, and hence know all that we can know in the world, aka be a real smart ass. I know all of us love the feeling when we know everything, when we do well in our lives, etc. but let's also acknowledge the fact there are numerous situations where we don't have a clue of what's going on. A lot of times, there is not much at stake, ergo it's easier for us to admit that we do not know about a particular thing or topic. But there are also situations where we feel we need to step up, take control of the situation even when we don't know what to say, for example- may be a question asked by an employer during an interview or meeting, or some discussion that takes place in our friend's or family's group, during these situations it is hard for us as individuals to admit our lack of knowledge on specific topics because we would like to create a positive impression about us on the other party, which is absolutely normal and basic human nature, who wouldn't want others to like them? I am sure everyone wants that.

But saying the 3 magical words- " I don't know", isn't always such a bad thing, trust me!

Many times what's more important than knowing each & every answer is to be able to find & learn about the thing that you do not know.

We all start somewhere, no one is born with all the knowledge in the world, right? Or at least that's what I was told. So why can't we all have an attitude where instead of feeling sad, embarrassed, or even horrified just say- "I don't have the knowledge currently but I am willing to learn", well this is something that we all have to change in ourselves. Let me give you some reasoning that why this change is important for us.

Firstly, if you lie to know about something, you will be basically lying to yourself and maybe even embarrass yourself in certain situations. Secondly, if you know a little about something but not much, it's better to take the back seat and listen to others so that you can gain knowledge about that topic plus also get to know & understand that person's perspective which will eventually help you. Let me cite a famous quote over here to make you better understand my point- "When you speak, you are only repeating what you already know, but if you listen, you get the opportunity to learn something new." Thirdly, life is all about experiences so why not keep gaining & learning new knowledge and experiences, As they say, learning should never stop! Lastly, I think if we admit that we don't know about a particular thing then that prevents us from spreading misinformation which is definitely not good.

It took quite a while for me to recognize, admit and change my own behavior and yeah it wasn't easy for obvious reasons but I am sure everyone can do it, and trust me it will only help you.