Post: Knowing

Knowing. In this modern age, I know everything. What is the temperature in Toronto? Who is Taylor Lautner? (seriously?) Did the New York Jets win last night? Everything, is a simple search away. Google, Wikipedia, IMDB, Twitter, Facebook, email, etc. Everything I could ever need to know is right there.

Recently however, I’ve been sitting back, evaluating, taking in more of my surroundings. I’ve come to a conclusion, I am a media consumption machine. I couldn’t care less about the people around me, their stories, beliefs, thoughts. I would rather read a irrelevant tweet, than sit and talk to people.

Why?

I found, that consuming media, as opposed to the mundane topics that get thrown around the office is more… gratifying, in a way.
Anything that crosses my mind, can be answered instantly with only a few keystrokes. Isn’t that incredible?

Little over a decade ago, that was unthinkable. If you wanted to learn something or know about something, you had very few options.
You could turn on the TV maybe a documentary would be on, or perhaps it’d be in an encyclopedia. The library down the road, perhaps they would have a book on the topic. More than likely though, you’d settle with not knowing.

Back on topic though, throughout the last few weeks, I’ve found a certain peace with not knowing. It scares me, don’t get me wrong. What if I miss something on twitter, or an important email!? But not knowing, everything, all the time, brings peace.

I often think of a question I want answered — and my first instinct is to go to the computer and Google it. I’d know the answer in like 3 seconds! Recently though, I’ve started resisting those instincts. Is it a true need, to know right now? Can I not wait 30 minutes, or even a few hours, or a day? Of course I can. It’s not a matter of life or death, or national security, or anything important really.

I am losing the need to know everything, all at once. Instead I’m settling on knowing everything, just not at the same time. And with this, a freedom has been born. Instead, I talk with people, learn about them, what they have to say, think, need.

You know what?

It’s nice, not knowing. Being blind in a way, it’s just different. And really, I think there’s something minimalist about it. Let’s let go of the need to know, every second of the day, and let our minds wander around in the dark for a bit.

Some awesome isometric art

Copying one person is stealing. Copying ten is research.
— CHET ATKINS

Without good design it is easy to miss the point.
— BJARNI WARK