Understanding

Peace.

I wanted to post this build on the Knowledge Wisdom day. But since that’s a Saturday this month I decided to post it today.

Today’s reality is Understanding. Understanding is a clear picture drawn up in ones mind using Knowledge and Wisdom. 1 + 2 = 3. Knowledge being information and Wisdom being actions grounded in Knowledge. But…….. Knowledge and Wisdom don’t always lead to Understanding.

Has this ever happened to you? I KNOW it has happened to me! I’m in school, and the teacher is teaching a concept that I am just not getting. I go home and work on it to no avail. So I resign myself to rote memorization of said concept so that I can pass the test. Did I “Know” the information? Yes, because I memorized it and can parrot it back on demand. Was I able to work the information? I passed a test or proficiency. Did I Understand what the hell was going on? Emphatically Now Cipher!

Another scenario…. I’m at work and the boss tells me to implement a new technique and hands me some documentation on said technique. I read it. I do what he and it tells me to. Do I Understand what is going on? Not necessarily. I may, I may not.

You see where I’m going with this? Knowledge and Wisdom don’t always lead to Understanding. It’s beautiful and complete when it does, and frivolous and dangerous when it doesn’t. I took a LOT of calculus when I was in college. I remember that last course of calculus kicked my ass! But I continued to study and memorize so that I could pass the class (pass meaning at least a B). Ask me some calculus today. You will get the screw face. And I minored in mathematics! That’s frivolous.

My late husband decided that he would hang a lighting fixture in the kitchen 8 years ago. He was not an electrician. He read an online tutorial and got someone to watch him (equally as clueless). Fast forward to today. The God plugs in our beautiful 42” plasma and it blows up because the light was installed incorrectly. That’s dangerous.

And I’m not saying that in everything you do, Knowledge and Wisdom will ALWAYS lead to Understanding. I have a toilet. And I get how you use it. But if it breaks, someone else has to get the gold because I’m clueless. But am I a bad person because I can’t service my own toilet?

But to have Understanding is a beautiful thing. It elevates you to a different level. With Understanding of how the toilet works, not only could I prevent mishaps, but I could actually innovate new techniques and designs to make toilet use more efficient. I could build on what I Understand.

Actually, my thoughts are the 10% teaches the 85% to be illiterate in Understanding. Meaning they give Knowledge and Wisdom, but with hold that bit that would spark Understanding. For without Understanding the masses are stagnant and malleable. They think they Know (and technically they do) but they can’t do anything with the 1 and 2 they have; therefore, they can control them.

So where is the lesson? Decide for your self if just knowing and doing in a given cipher is enough for you. If so, cool. If not, do something about it.



Peace