I don’t know everything about everything.
I don’t know everything about anything. Except maybe the alphabet. (There are only 26 letters in the English alphabet, right?)
I know some things about some things. And I know lots of things about a sub-set of those some things.
But I don’t know everything about everything.
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My tolerance for people who think they know everything about everything – or everything about anything – has dropped to less than zero lately.
(And this applies to me, too. If I start acting like you all ain’t got nuffin’ to teach me, girlfriend, you have my permission to call me on it. Loudly.)
Confidence is important. Knowledge is power. We all know things, and we are all experts of something. We are proud of that knowledge. And we should be proud of that knowledge.
But we shouldn’t mistake knowing something and being proud of that knowledge for knowing everything. We shouldn’t mistake knowing something for knowing that it will always be that way and it will never change.
We shouldn’t mistake knowing something – even if it’s at the level of expertise – for assuming that knowledge makes us better than those without it.
It doesn’t make us better. It makes us responsible for teaching. And an important part of teaching is listening. Because every teacher has much to learn. And the best ones already know that.
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The greatest philosophers had/have one major thing in common: they knew/know their limitations.
They have influenced societies, thinking, cultures, and in some cases, the world with their knowledge.
But they did so not with a knowledge with which they were born, nor with a set knowledge base from which they drew to share with the world.
They have influenced us by constantly striving to learn more.
We should all be constantly striving to learn more. Learn more facts. Learn more figures. Learn more about the battles faced by others. Learn about empathy, compassion and understanding.
Learn that what’s right and wrong today might be wrong and right tomorrow.
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To live in a world in which WE ARE ALWAYS RIGHT and THEY – the faceless they, the known they, any they – ARE ALWAYS WRONG is to live in a world that is flat, around which the sun revolves.
In many things in life, there is no right and wrong. Only differences. Understanding those differences instead of lambasting those we don’t concur with is a great way to learn.
Let’s build bridges instead of building defences.
Who knows what we’ll learn next?
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I don’t know everything about everything. And I’d like to learn more. Got anything to share? Any facts, figures or knowledge you’re particularly proud of? Please educate me!
Great post. So much to say but have had absolutely no sleep and can hardly string a sentence together. I often worry that I come across as a bit of a know it all when in fact I honestly think I hardly know anything. Which is possibly why I’m always asking far too many questions and questioning things in general.
Thanks Raychael. Hoping you’ve had more sleep since this! (For what it’s worth, I haven’t noticed a know-it-all tendency.)
This is so true. Though my kids seem to think that I know everything and I’m not so sure that is a good thing. I am often telling them, I don’t know everything, let’s go look it up, to encourage them to be inquisitive and that it is ok to not have the answers all of the time.
My son might think I know everything, but he’s two. The almost-five-year-old certainly doesn’t think I know everything! Which is equal parts frustrating and grounding. x
🙂
Smiling back at you, Leanne! (I have no idea how to do the actual emoticon.)
Great post. I sometimes start explaining something and then realise I’m actually just making it up – so announce ‘Actually, I think I just made that up’ or the other variation is “Actually, I think I got that from Law & Order” so my brain jumps into automatic mode with ‘facts’ and figures, but then as I think about it, I have no idea on the origin of said facts….
Haha, nice work! I think sometimes I go down the ‘reasonable assumption’ path, but am reasonably certain I describe it as such. Or am I just reasonably assuming? How certain am I? My head hurts…
(Oh, and someone I know is often quoting facts and figures with no source. Once I recognised something as a quote from The Simpsons and called him on it! Fewer quotes since then.)
Such great thoughts Em. I agree wholeheartedly. Life is a journey of learning and when the desire to learn departs then I know I will most likely be dead. I don’t know why people try and pretend they know the everything. I often think they’re trying to just cover up their own limitations or weaknesses by puffing out their own chest. Great post!
Thank you Vicki. Life is a journey of learning – I like that. Some people in the world definitely measure themselves by what others think of them rather than what they actually know and/or are like. My main aim in life is just to not be like that.
Excellent post! Here’s some things I know: penguins have knees. Cats don’t always land on their feet. I have been awake for 21 hours. Done!
THANK YOU! I love this kind of stuff. Penguins have knees. Wow. You’d think they wouldn’t need to waddle so much?!
I really liked this post. I am not sure on any special knowledge I have to share unfortunately I am a little bit assuming that everyone knows everything and I am the one in the dark wanting to be filled in on it all.
I am definitely like this. I guess the flip side is that if we assume everyone knows what we know, we don’t find our area of expertise. (It took a guest post prompt from a bloggy friend for me to realise that not everyone gets grammar and words the way I do!)
I work with someone who knows everything about everything, I think I’ll send her a link to this post. I know very little about a lot of things, and most things about a few things.
Did you? Did you did you did you? Curious to know if she recognised herself or just nodded along!
You NEVER stop learning, and I’ll never stop learning until I’m six foot under! There’s an old saying “A little bit of knowledge is dangerous.” Unfortunately most people take that little big of knowledge and think they know it all. Unlucky souls.
Well said. A little bit of knowledge is very dangerous. So is privilege. Combine the two and UH-OH. (And I’m guilty, too. For sure.)
Em that is A pet hate of mine. Everyone likes to be acknowledged for being good at something.. I can’t stand it when people always try to better the or say NO you’re wrong … Argh
I’ve actually backed down from things where I knew I was right because I just didn’t want the angst. For some people, being right is more important than learning what is actually right in the situation. Oh well.
Great post. It is especially relevant when so many people have ‘voices’ on the internet. For example, I keep trying to convince my kids that the people they watch on YouTube tutorials, etc are not necessarily experts, and they may not know much at all. Information and opinions need to be considered and weighed.
REALLY good point, Gael. Thanks. Hadn’t thought of that perspective. Don’t trust what you read on Wikipedia!
Always learning. I was reading The BFG the other day with the kids, and the BFG made the point that as a species (Human Beings) we are the only species that kill each other. I’m not sure if that’s entirely true because I’ve been hearing a bit lately about the Snapping Turtke and apparently they eat other turtles. Anyway, there you go, always learning!
I remember that line! Made me think as a child, too. I think there are territory battles for other species that sometimes end in death, too. But still, food for thought from Mr Dahl there! (And I didn’t know that about the Snapping Turtle, so thanks for adding to my knowledge base! Until it falls out of my head again. Right… now.)
Wise words indeed. Humility is a wonderful quality.
It really is. Thanks Dani.
One of my favourites is from Socrates, I think. “I know that I know nothing”. It’s funny that I seem to know less and less each year as I get older, and that know-it-all arrogance of youth gives way to the realisation that there is still so much left to learn.
I cannot read Socrates without hearing Keanu in my head from Bill and Ted. So-Crates. Too funny.
Your post is exceptionally poignant after my drive home listening to talkback radio. Lots of armchair experts with their repetitive “what they SHOULD do” comments. As for me, it’s nice to know that I only know a little bit. Otherwise they coming years would be very boring.
Oh man, oh man, oh man. Yep. What people usually mean when they say ‘What they should do…’ is ‘What I would do if this happened to me in my exact set of circumstances which are nothing to do with theirs…’
And I LOVE your perspective! Here’s to fun years of learning ahead.
I love this Em.
I had a bit of a reality check the other day with this actual issue. Not that I thought I knew it all, but that I realised just how much I had to learn, and I was glad for the humbling moment. We all need those on a regular basis. xx
Thanks for sharing, Jess. My daughter provides me with these moments. Often.
I know a bit but I’m the first one to admit when I know NOTHING. Great post Em xx
Thanks Em. Me too. x
Did you know Rats and horses cant vomit? No I didnt know either. My kids did though.. cause you know, they were BORN knowing it all! Gah! xx
Haha, thanks for the giggle! I knew about rats, but horses? There’s a new one. Thanks!
I know someone who thinks they know everything about everything and I tell you what, it’s a bit of a pain in the jaxi when they constantly assert themselves and act as though they are an authority on everything. I know that I learn something new on a daily basis and am excited learn and to teach others too.
Isn’t. It. Horrible? It’s annoying even when you don’t know the deal yourself, but when you DO, it’s SO much worse!
This is exactly why I cannot do politics. There is never a right or wrong or a black or white and no-one has the answers to everything. There are many many shades of grey and we each see the world through our own lens, complicating it further! x
Really good point. I feel for politicians… well, some of them… some of the time. They have to pick a side and they’re never going to agree with everything their party stands for.
I love that last quote. I explains my love/hate relationship with being at uni – I loved being there and learning but I also wanted to be ‘out there’ working with the knowledge.
I could spend the rest of my life at uni. I loved it. But that’s why I left – I knew I’d enter the world of academia and never leave!
I sometimes wonder if I know anything about anything! I am sure I must but self doubt can do strange things to a girl. I too have little patience for those who think they know everything
Leaving some fairy wishes and butterfly kisses from #teamIBOT
Self doubt is a killer. I hate my self doubt, but I’m not sure that all-consuming arrogance is better, so I’ll stick with it.
Only smart people know that the more you learn, the more there IS to learn. Now in the age of technology we find ourselves possibly for the first time in a generation where young people can actually know more of the modern world than their elders. Talk about a turn around of the old paradigm!
Are you calling me smart? (Or just calling me a nerd again? Ha!) Thanks Twitchy x
I can’t stand know it alls. But I appreciate if they tell me something I don’t know. I don’t know a lot and learning something knew is part of life’s fun.
That’s the twist – even know-it-alls have lessons to teach us!
So much to learn. So many people to learn from. I want to keep challenging myself as life would be pretty boring if we knew it all! I’m excited seeing Miss T take everything in and learn so many new things each day. But from her view as a 5 year old I’m constantly hearing “I KNOW that Mum!” 🙂
I get that in response to my “I love you”s. I love you darling. Sigh. I KNOW, mum. You tell me EVERY DAY. Ha!
I’ll never profess to knowing it all! LOL It’s funny because as a young girl still at high school, I was desperate to get out in the world and earn some money. I wanted to be free! I was not interested in learning. I was in a rush to live an adult life. Oh I wish I could go back and slap some sense into that younger version of myself. Nowadays I thrive on learning. I’m always learning! I love learning! Though we get wiser the older we get, we are all learning right up to the day we die – that’s my belief. 🙂
Oh, how I love learning. I was the opposite at school. So terrified of finishing and having to work out what to DO with my life!
Did you know kangaroos and emus can’t go backwards? That’s why they’re on the Commonwealth Coat of Arms – Australia’s always going forward and all that… That’s the thing about learning, it’s like a To-Do list, it just never ends!
You know, I think I did ‘know’ this, but had completely forgotten it. Thank you for the reminder!!
I heard this, and researched it when the blog was called You learn something new every day, and apparently it’s not actually true (sorry). Can find the original post if you want?! Love your last line. To-do lists NEVER. FLIPPING. END!
Oh no! I can’t believe the one fact that I can remember isn’t a fact at all! “sad face” I love the name and the idea behind You learn something new every day! That’s ace!
“The greatest philosophers had/have one major thing in common: they knew/know their limitations … They have influenced us by constantly striving to learn more.”
Amen sister! I don’t know who sparked this post off for you – but how frustrating!!!
Thanks Kelly. It was one of those long-burning frustration things. But yes, there was a straw that sent the words tumbling out!
This is one of the great lessons in life isn’t it, there’s so much to learn all the time and that’s what makes life interesting, if we knew it all life would be very boring indeed. Kids are the greatest levellers aren’t they?!
They most certainly are! I love that point. Life would be VERY boring if we knew it all!
I know a bit of stuff, but I wing it too and occasionally I pull facts from my ar#e. We never stop learning, I love learning new stuff everyday. Some is useful and some isn’t but it all makes up my beautiful life x
Thanks Jenni. And congrats – I hope you enjoyed co-hosting the Rewind this week!
I love this hard!!! So, SO hard!!! It really bothers me how people use social media as a way for them to think they know everything. While the internet can be a great source for many, many things, let’s not forget that there is ALWAYS another side and if we feel so passionate about a particular topic or issue, let’s see what that other side is.
I wish more people would be less narrow-minded and instead just say, “Hey, I don’t know. This is what I believe but feel free to teach me or inform me of its flip side…”
Thanks Grace. I was really unsure about posting this one so your comment means a lot.
I think a lot of tension (especially online tension) wouldn’t exist if comments and things started with ‘I think’ or ‘My opinion is’ instead of just parading things as fact.
ALL of this is true so I reckon you know everything about this, Em. I’m detecting a lack of humble in a lot of areas of life at the moment and it makes me queasy. I always like to think that we all have something to teach, but we certainly have more to learn. I prefer to share than teach in the hope that someone else might have all the answers after all! I hope they speak up!. x
Thanks Bron! But no, even this topic is something I’ll never know everything about! Happy to keep it that way. I remember participating in a workshop to identify the main traits we wanted to pass along to our children. Humility was really important to me, so thanks for including that word in your comment. It seems so obvious now.
You are safe with me – –my tolerance has also dropped to less than zero lately
Lucky “I know nothing”and I try to be a know it all on my blog too.
My kids teach me new things every day -seriously want to know about 7 wonders of world ? – ask my son and then Google to see if he was right.
I try to channel Manuel from Fawlty Towers – I KNOW NOTHING!
Sometimes I stop myself from chiming in with an answer, correcting someone or explaining something because I don’t want to sound like a know-all, which is frustrating when you do actually know that what you’re saying is right!
That is VERY frustrating. It’s a tough line to walk, sometimes, especially if people turn to you as an expert on a topic and THEN question your word. It’s easy to get defensive.