Better Know Or Not Know
And I thought of Internet. Every one could have access to knowledge, information: about science, art, philosophy, health, … I imagine a time when children don’t have to go to school, every one without prerequisites could study any subject without going to academies, faculties, universities. One could work without going to his office, could have a conference or meeting without going out or abroad. Visit, see Alaska, the Grand Canyon, the Galapagos, the Alps, … without having to travel. That’s knowing owing to internet.
Besides, standing on one’s own, one is so free to express his thoughts without being suppressed, censored by editors, publishers, or privileged, backed up by a huge circulation, great names, certification, diploma’s, without frustrating, degrading, humiliating comments of publishers who reject one’s writing.
And I also thought of patients who knew they had cancer or aids or a deadly disease, or those sentenced to death or ill fortune. Knowing their fate, it comes as a curse. They live in constant fear and life would seem like hell, only freed when they were asleep. While not knowing, is like a blessing. They could still go on living a happy life.
But not knowing what we ail, could suddenly, unexpectedly attack us as a heart attack or stroke. Knowing this is also a cause of fear.
However, knowing opens a new world and could free us from fear, of erroneous concepts, beliefs, superstitions, diagnosis, ... but also could frighten us. We thought the world was flat before and the sun, the moon the stars circled around our earth.
Yet there were the brave who knew what was in store for them. Ronald Reagan did know before that he had de Alzheimer disease. Lance Armstrong did know he had cancer, but he fought, succeeded to suppress it and besides, was several times in succession champion of Tour de France. Of the crew on the shuttle flights in space. Of the warriors who almost competed with each other, rushed, jumped out from the ships without fear while it was fated that whoever is the first, would be the first to meet his death, as I remember the Iliad.
Better know or not know.
January 2009
And I thought of Internet. Every one could have access to knowledge, information: about science, art, philosophy, health, … I imagine a time when children don’t have to go to school, every one without prerequisites could study any subject without going to academies, faculties, universities. One could work without going to his office, could have a conference or meeting without going out or abroad. Visit, see Alaska, the Grand Canyon, the Galapagos, the Alps, … without having to travel. That’s knowing owing to internet.
Besides, standing on one’s own, one is so free to express his thoughts without being suppressed, censored by editors, publishers, or privileged, backed up by a huge circulation, great names, certification, diploma’s, without frustrating, degrading, humiliating comments of publishers who reject one’s writing.
And I also thought of patients who knew they had cancer or aids or a deadly disease, or those sentenced to death or ill fortune. Knowing their fate, it comes as a curse. They live in constant fear and life would seem like hell, only freed when they were asleep. While not knowing, is like a blessing. They could still go on living a happy life.
But not knowing what we ail, could suddenly, unexpectedly attack us as a heart attack or stroke. Knowing this is also a cause of fear.
However, knowing opens a new world and could free us from fear, of erroneous concepts, beliefs, superstitions, diagnosis, ... but also could frighten us. We thought the world was flat before and the sun, the moon the stars circled around our earth.
Yet there were the brave who knew what was in store for them. Ronald Reagan did know before that he had de Alzheimer disease. Lance Armstrong did know he had cancer, but he fought, succeeded to suppress it and besides, was several times in succession champion of Tour de France. Of the crew on the shuttle flights in space. Of the warriors who almost competed with each other, rushed, jumped out from the ships without fear while it was fated that whoever is the first, would be the first to meet his death, as I remember the Iliad.
Better know or not know.
January 2009
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