I think it’s okay to say, “I don’t know.”
Somehow, we’ve gotten in the place where not having an answer, opinion or conclusion on a topic is socially unacceptable. In fact, saying “I don’t know,” can even be considered apathetic or some sort of privileged position. The truth is, I’m not a theologian. I don’t hold a mastery in social sciences. I am not a doctor, political scientist, environmentalist, lawyer or social worker. I can’t hold myself to the standard of expertise of those who have spent thousands of hours studying their field. I am a writer, I am a people person, and I know a thing or two about bikes. I focus on stories about poverty and homelessness, cultural behavior and unique human experiences. I want to be good at all of those things, so I put my hours and my focus there. ::: I find myself saying, “I don’t know,” a lot lately. Maybe because I am not through hearing all the perspectives that help me form even an opinion. Maybe because I am narrowing my focus in other areas and can’t always address the latest. Maybe because there are other humans equipped in the professional study of the topic that actually do have a depth of “knowing.” We can’t know it all. And that’s okay. Perhaps we should normalize the words “I don’t know,” and see the wisdom in those who often choose not to speak. These instant-information devices we all hold in our pocket tell us that the answer is just right there. They tell us that we have a power of knowledge at our convenience. But that is a lie. Knowledge is a dedicated study, it is the 10,000 hours people spend mastering fields, it is concepts that are endlessly explored, ideas that are turned over a thousand times until they are exhausted. And I think knowledge comes from people who are utterly humbled by unknowing-ness, so they dedicate their life to grasping some sense of knowing, recognizing that even a lifetime won’t provide all the answers. “I don’t know,” might be one of the most honest and authentic things we could say in the face of a culture overloaded with information and inter-connectivity.
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AuthorKatie Elizabeth: Writer, Wonderer, Wanderer. Archives
August 2020
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