Wednesday, January 24, 2018
Knowledge Vs. Truth Vs. Wisdom
By: Donovan Baldwin
Not necessarily going to tie those together, just that was the thought that kicked off the following: A day or two ago, in another post on a Social media site, I mentioned a piece of info that most "knowledgeable" people of my day knew (that's 20 - 30 years ago, Bubba).
Well, the person DIDN'T know it and my first twitch was "not in the know".
Then, it hit me.
When it was knowledgeable TO ME, this info WAS INFO, but, this person was either a toddler or an embryo...or, as my father used to say, "a gleam in his mother's eye".
So, how can I hold them intellectually accountable, even for true knowledge, which is not commonly known in THEIR time, and, how can they exercise wisdom with that truth and knowledge, that they simply do not have...and, HAVE NO REASON TO HAVE?
I think that's where we get into trouble in our relationships, with the neighbors and those "idiots" on the other side of the world.
By the way, if you live in China, to you I might be one of those "idiots" on the other side of the world.
So, don't take it personally.
There's an old joke about the word "assume".
"To assume, creates an 'ass' out of 'u' and 'me'."
By the way, don't assume I'm talking dirty. That's the animal, not the body part.
See? You might not know what I mean even though I mean what I say.
We're human.
That's fine...I assume.
Well, the person DIDN'T know it and my first twitch was "not in the know".
Then, it hit me.
When it was knowledgeable TO ME, this info WAS INFO, but, this person was either a toddler or an embryo...or, as my father used to say, "a gleam in his mother's eye".
So, how can I hold them intellectually accountable, even for true knowledge, which is not commonly known in THEIR time, and, how can they exercise wisdom with that truth and knowledge, that they simply do not have...and, HAVE NO REASON TO HAVE?
I think that's where we get into trouble in our relationships, with the neighbors and those "idiots" on the other side of the world.
By the way, if you live in China, to you I might be one of those "idiots" on the other side of the world.
So, don't take it personally.
There's an old joke about the word "assume".
"To assume, creates an 'ass' out of 'u' and 'me'."
By the way, don't assume I'm talking dirty. That's the animal, not the body part.
See? You might not know what I mean even though I mean what I say.
We're human.
That's fine...I assume.
Labels: donovan baldwin, knowledge, truth, wisdom
Wednesday, October 04, 2017
News, Information, And Knowledge
By: Donovan Baldwin
News is important. Information is important. Knowledge is important.
Most of us cannot "manufacture" knowledge, we have to arrive at it by keeping up with news and information. But, there are a lot of people on the internet who are manufacturing "news" and "information".
There are websites which specialize in publishing parodies of real news.
In other words, fake news.
There are websites where people can publish almost any story they like...even here.
Many of these websites are very professional looking, and some even mimic "real" news and information sites.
That's bad enough, but, compounding the problem are those people who don't check the validity of the story they are reading or sharing, or the reliability of the site...many of which state on their home page that they publish parodies of the news.
Believing what you see on these so-called "news" sites is the same as believing a Saturday Night Live comedy routine is news.
Another problem is, that once it's on the internet, true or false, the story assumes its own life, grows its own followers, and, is promoted and passed to friends on social media and through email, by others who either do not know it's false, or don't care.
Do the legwork, folks. Do your "due diligence".
Before you post or re-post, check to see it that "information" and "news" that you like or hate so much, is actually the truth.
Most of us cannot "manufacture" knowledge, we have to arrive at it by keeping up with news and information. But, there are a lot of people on the internet who are manufacturing "news" and "information".
There are websites which specialize in publishing parodies of real news.
In other words, fake news.
There are websites where people can publish almost any story they like...even here.
Many of these websites are very professional looking, and some even mimic "real" news and information sites.
That's bad enough, but, compounding the problem are those people who don't check the validity of the story they are reading or sharing, or the reliability of the site...many of which state on their home page that they publish parodies of the news.
Believing what you see on these so-called "news" sites is the same as believing a Saturday Night Live comedy routine is news.
Another problem is, that once it's on the internet, true or false, the story assumes its own life, grows its own followers, and, is promoted and passed to friends on social media and through email, by others who either do not know it's false, or don't care.
Do the legwork, folks. Do your "due diligence".
Before you post or re-post, check to see it that "information" and "news" that you like or hate so much, is actually the truth.
Labels: donovan baldwin, due diligence, fake news, information, knowledge, life lesson, news, social media sites
Friday, August 18, 2017
Overbearing Ignorance
By Donovan Baldwin
In 72 years, I have made my way through college, and read my way through many books; technical, informational, philosophical, and fictional.
I have acquired, and forgotten, various job skills.
I have learned all kinds of terms for "stuff" from abstruse and confusing, to absolutely senseless.
One thing in common about ALL these terms is: If you say them to somebody who doesn't know what THAT term means, you might as well be speaking a foreign language.
THAT also means that, if you use one of those terms to someone who does not understand it, someone who may be ten times smarter than you OR ME, and they don't react properly...they are not necessarily dumb. If we understand their confusion and take the time to explain what we actually meant, THEN, neither are we.
“If you wish to converse with me,” said Voltaire, “define your terms.”
Two people cannot begin to understand each other, or even honestly agree or disagree, if they do NOT understand what the other is saying. Yet, so many times I have seen someone training, or arguing with, someone, gloat over their supposed superiority because they used terms the other did not understand, or was not familiar with.
Someone who intentionally uses unknown, specialized, or esoteric terms to make another seem ignorant, is an ideal example of ignorance.
I have acquired, and forgotten, various job skills.
I have learned all kinds of terms for "stuff" from abstruse and confusing, to absolutely senseless.
One thing in common about ALL these terms is: If you say them to somebody who doesn't know what THAT term means, you might as well be speaking a foreign language.
THAT also means that, if you use one of those terms to someone who does not understand it, someone who may be ten times smarter than you OR ME, and they don't react properly...they are not necessarily dumb. If we understand their confusion and take the time to explain what we actually meant, THEN, neither are we.
“If you wish to converse with me,” said Voltaire, “define your terms.”
Two people cannot begin to understand each other, or even honestly agree or disagree, if they do NOT understand what the other is saying. Yet, so many times I have seen someone training, or arguing with, someone, gloat over their supposed superiority because they used terms the other did not understand, or was not familiar with.
Someone who intentionally uses unknown, specialized, or esoteric terms to make another seem ignorant, is an ideal example of ignorance.
Labels: donovan baldwin, foreign language, ignorance, job skills, knowledge, smart, words
