One theme I return to again and again as fodder for this blog is the supposition that we humans don't know half as much as we like to think. Humanity has postulated for almost as long as we have existed that we represent the apex of beings on this orb and that our innate attributes were cast in the very image of the creator himself. The question I ponder time and again is: What if this belief is categorically untrue? What if it's nothing more than our egos talking?
For me, one of the chief offshoots of such an idea is that we each share the same level of ignorance. It doesn't matter how many books a person has read or how many diplomas hang on your wall. What we consider knowledge holds no special meaning in the overall scheme of things. If anything, it's more a contrivance or diversion from the essence of true being.
In many ways, I think this was one of the points Lao Tzu, to a lesser extent, and Chuang Tzu, to a greater extent, was trying to drive home. Human-based knowledge does not bring us any closer to the mother of all things and it certainly doesn't guarantee happiness or contentment.
All it does bring is a sense of self-importance. It feeds our pride and ego. It allows each of us to puff out our chests. But that's all it does.
This is not to suggest that learning, in and of itself, is bad. We humans appear to have inquisitive minds and we constantly strive to stimulate our brains with new sensations and experiences. So, we study things. We think. We talk. We share. We write on our blogs.
Yet, I coming to believe we err when we think that all of our studies, stories and conversations equate to a form of higher intelligence. For all our perceived brain-power, our knowledge of the most basic elements of life remains skimpy (to put it mildly). Our answers to these questions are nothing more than wild guesses.
The most galling part is that we have absolutely no way of knowing if all beings in this realm are plagued by these mysteries OR if our species alone is the one left out in the dark. It's conceivable that every other life form put all the pieces together long ago and we're the one bringing up the rear!
For me, one of the chief offshoots of such an idea is that we each share the same level of ignorance. It doesn't matter how many books a person has read or how many diplomas hang on your wall. What we consider knowledge holds no special meaning in the overall scheme of things. If anything, it's more a contrivance or diversion from the essence of true being.
In many ways, I think this was one of the points Lao Tzu, to a lesser extent, and Chuang Tzu, to a greater extent, was trying to drive home. Human-based knowledge does not bring us any closer to the mother of all things and it certainly doesn't guarantee happiness or contentment.
All it does bring is a sense of self-importance. It feeds our pride and ego. It allows each of us to puff out our chests. But that's all it does.
This is not to suggest that learning, in and of itself, is bad. We humans appear to have inquisitive minds and we constantly strive to stimulate our brains with new sensations and experiences. So, we study things. We think. We talk. We share. We write on our blogs.
Yet, I coming to believe we err when we think that all of our studies, stories and conversations equate to a form of higher intelligence. For all our perceived brain-power, our knowledge of the most basic elements of life remains skimpy (to put it mildly). Our answers to these questions are nothing more than wild guesses.
The most galling part is that we have absolutely no way of knowing if all beings in this realm are plagued by these mysteries OR if our species alone is the one left out in the dark. It's conceivable that every other life form put all the pieces together long ago and we're the one bringing up the rear!
i constantly strive for knowledge- however knowledge remains elusive. i have to content myself with understanding, which is a more useful attribute anyway, in my opinion. i don't see the struggle for knowledge futile- but there are plenty of people who are very knowledgeable yet are unable to comprehend anything but their own brain.
ReplyDeletealso what you are describing sounds a lot like humanocentrism, which is a very narrow view of the world, IMHO.
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DeleteTo attain knowledge, add things everyday. To attain wisdom, remove things every day.
Delete-lao tzu
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