Grandma says: “Read, read, read. There is a world of thought. It is written that Socrates says that: True knowledge exists is knowing that you know nothing.”
There is no way of knowing for sure what Socrates said. Much is attributed to him. Whether it was Socrates who first said that true knowledge exists in knowing that you know nothing or some other wise person first said it does not really matter. Certainly Grandmother Fannie was not the first wise person who recommended reading both as an antidote to one’s ignorance and as a way of identifying one’s ignorance. In my mind, however, she was the first to say it to me although I have a strong sense that my fourth-grade English teacher, Mrs. Shepherd could have attempted to pound that bit of knowledge into our young and very hard heads. As I have previously mentioned, I do credit Mrs. Shepherd with telling our fourth-grade class in the country, regional school in rural Oklahoma: “Read. I want you children to read. I don’t care if you read books, cereal boxes or those dirty little books I know you boys read. If you learn to enjoy reading the world will open to you.” (I am sure all the face of the boys in that class turned beet red as if Mrs. Shepherd not only knew of the existence of these little dirty comic books but could read our embarrassing and impure thoughts!)
Since spending countless hours reading Grandma’s very extensive library (for that time and the economic group to which she belonged), I did not need further proof that my only access to a larger world was by reading and listening to the oral histories which my elders were willing to share. It would be many years before I would understand the full import of why she wanted her grandchildren to understand that, “True knowledge is knowing that you know nothing.”
It is only in approaching my eight decade that I have a modicum of understanding and acceptance of the profound wisdom this statement contains. I now accept that as soon as I think I know something is the exact moment that I close off my mind to new “truths”, new opinions of the truth, new ways of viewing the truth or new ways of understanding what I took to be the truth or the facts.
I do not have to let my mind wander very far to be reminded that what I thought I knew at age 20, 30, 50, 60 or even yesterday is not what I think I know today. I know that there may be multiple universes, that what I took to be the apex of mathematical facts is not even close to my current understanding, that what I thought I liked and understood about genres of music, food, or a host of other delights is vastly different than what I think today or what I hope to think tomorrow.
If I truly want to be humble enough to learn I must also suspend my judgment of public figure while staying open to the dangers of power, no matter who possesses it.
Obviously the first step in learning is humility. Earlier this morning I was reading an article by Connie Schultz entitled “We’re All Under the Same Sky…’ which was printed in the editorial section of the Wheeling, WV newspaper, The Intelligence, Wheeling News Register. Ms. Schultz talks about a conversation with former president Barack Obama. She quotes him as saying;
“At a time when events move so quickly and so much information is transmitted,’ he said, reading gave him the ability to occasionally ‘slow down and get perspective’ and ‘the ability to get in somebody else’s shoes.’ “
She also reports that he recently gave his oldest daughter “a Kindle filled with books he wanted to share with her.”
Grandmother would have approved of his giving his daughter a Kindle. I have feeling that if she was alive today she would be regularly sending letters as she did when living, but now via email. I have no idea what she would have thought of Barack Obama or Donald Trump as a presidents, but I am sure she would have had an opinion tempered with humility and the ability to laugh at her own lack of humility.
In the days to come or even in the next ten minutes I will be tempted to communicate my ignorance which will be wrapped and presented as “KNOWLEDGE”. If I am at lucky this aged brain will turn on the Grandma says memory chip which will remind me that “True knowledge is knowing that you know nothing.”
I smile. I just got a text from a dear friend who often taps into my grandmother says memory chip with his sledgehammer to remind me that I know nothing. Of course there is also that same memory chip in his brain.
Written January 23, 2017
There is no way of knowing for sure what Socrates said. Much is attributed to him. Whether it was Socrates who first said that true knowledge exists in knowing that you know nothing or some other wise person first said it does not really matter. Certainly Grandmother Fannie was not the first wise person who recommended reading both as an antidote to one’s ignorance and as a way of identifying one’s ignorance. In my mind, however, she was the first to say it to me although I have a strong sense that my fourth-grade English teacher, Mrs. Shepherd could have attempted to pound that bit of knowledge into our young and very hard heads. As I have previously mentioned, I do credit Mrs. Shepherd with telling our fourth-grade class in the country, regional school in rural Oklahoma: “Read. I want you children to read. I don’t care if you read books, cereal boxes or those dirty little books I know you boys read. If you learn to enjoy reading the world will open to you.” (I am sure all the face of the boys in that class turned beet red as if Mrs. Shepherd not only knew of the existence of these little dirty comic books but could read our embarrassing and impure thoughts!)
Since spending countless hours reading Grandma’s very extensive library (for that time and the economic group to which she belonged), I did not need further proof that my only access to a larger world was by reading and listening to the oral histories which my elders were willing to share. It would be many years before I would understand the full import of why she wanted her grandchildren to understand that, “True knowledge is knowing that you know nothing.”
It is only in approaching my eight decade that I have a modicum of understanding and acceptance of the profound wisdom this statement contains. I now accept that as soon as I think I know something is the exact moment that I close off my mind to new “truths”, new opinions of the truth, new ways of viewing the truth or new ways of understanding what I took to be the truth or the facts.
I do not have to let my mind wander very far to be reminded that what I thought I knew at age 20, 30, 50, 60 or even yesterday is not what I think I know today. I know that there may be multiple universes, that what I took to be the apex of mathematical facts is not even close to my current understanding, that what I thought I liked and understood about genres of music, food, or a host of other delights is vastly different than what I think today or what I hope to think tomorrow.
If I truly want to be humble enough to learn I must also suspend my judgment of public figure while staying open to the dangers of power, no matter who possesses it.
Obviously the first step in learning is humility. Earlier this morning I was reading an article by Connie Schultz entitled “We’re All Under the Same Sky…’ which was printed in the editorial section of the Wheeling, WV newspaper, The Intelligence, Wheeling News Register. Ms. Schultz talks about a conversation with former president Barack Obama. She quotes him as saying;
“At a time when events move so quickly and so much information is transmitted,’ he said, reading gave him the ability to occasionally ‘slow down and get perspective’ and ‘the ability to get in somebody else’s shoes.’ “
She also reports that he recently gave his oldest daughter “a Kindle filled with books he wanted to share with her.”
Grandmother would have approved of his giving his daughter a Kindle. I have feeling that if she was alive today she would be regularly sending letters as she did when living, but now via email. I have no idea what she would have thought of Barack Obama or Donald Trump as a presidents, but I am sure she would have had an opinion tempered with humility and the ability to laugh at her own lack of humility.
In the days to come or even in the next ten minutes I will be tempted to communicate my ignorance which will be wrapped and presented as “KNOWLEDGE”. If I am at lucky this aged brain will turn on the Grandma says memory chip which will remind me that “True knowledge is knowing that you know nothing.”
I smile. I just got a text from a dear friend who often taps into my grandmother says memory chip with his sledgehammer to remind me that I know nothing. Of course there is also that same memory chip in his brain.
Written January 23, 2017
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