Thankful Thursdays

knowl-edge
noun:
facts, information, and skills acquired by a person through experience or
      education; the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject.

What a wonderful and liberating thing it is. Back in the day, whenever I asked Mom something she didn’t have a factual answer for she’d say, “Búscalo en la enciclopedia.” If you remember those heavy hardcover books full of facts and colorful pictures, you’re probably as old wise as I am. Information at our fingertips. I loved those books! And a good thing that was ‘cause I was expected to use them. Saber es poder. Knowledge is power.

Nowadays, it seems opinions are power and knowledge is null. In this instant-gratification society we live in, we’re too quick to turn to social media influencers, or “badfluencers” as I call them, as our main bank of knowledge. We’re slacking off, not digging for the facts or educating ourselves, but instead relying on these typically opinion-based sources. And opinions are just that, opinions. We all have them, and they should be respected if respectful, of course, but not deemed facts to go on, or be corrected by.

Sadly, all this opinion-policing contradicts everything we’re trying to achieve as a society. It’s gotten to where if our views don’t concur with someone else’s we quickly get called out, humiliated, and erased from existence with a simple #hashtag. It leaves no room for mistakes (and no one’s perfect), it lacks patience, understanding and communication. We should eradicate bad behavior and make people accountable, but at what cost if the cure is worse than the disease? Makes me want to go back to my encyclopedia days.

I pray we find a way to learn from our past and current mistakes and put an end to this social war we find ourselves in.

But, yes, thank you, Mom, for making me look everything up.

For knowledge, today and always, I am thankful.

What are you thankful for today?

Until next Thursday’s post…si Dios quiere.

“For me, I am driven by two main philosophies: know more today about the world than I knew yesterday and lessen the suffering of others. You’d be surprised how far that gets you.”
-Neil deGrasse Tyson

“This idea of purity and you’re never compromised and you’re always politically ‘woke’ and all that stuff. You should get over that quickly. The world is messy; there are ambiguities. People who do really good stuff have flaws. People who you are fighting may love their kids, and share certain things with you….That’s not activism. That’s not bringing about change. If all you’re doing is casting stones, you’re probably not going to get that far.”
-Barack Obama

“Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.”
-Dr. Seuss