If you are believe that you are very good or the best at something, it is probably because you are not.
The more we learn, the more we realize our ignorance.
As Socrate pointed out in Plato’s Apology, “I know that I know nothing”. Thats quote gets more meaningful taken in the context and with another translation.
I am wiser than this man, for neither of us appears to know anything great and good; but he fancies he knows something, although he knows nothing; whereas I, as I do not know anything, so I do not fancy I do. In this trifling particular, then, I appear to be wiser than he, because I do not fancy I know what I do not know.
Apology, Plato
That above has two implications :
- Next time you believe that you will teach something to someone, ask yourself twice if you’re sure you’re the once who ought to be teaching, and you’d not benefit more by listening and learning instead
- Next time you are sure about something, do some more digging and understand what could be wrong about your thought and certainty.
The blind spot, is what we don’t know we don’t know. That is the most dangerous of all. And that is the reason why fools are fools : they ignore that they is plenty that they don’t know, and never doubt their beliefs.
So, if you’re sure about something, it’s probably because you don’t know enough about it.
Have you ever been in a situation, being certain about things and see them completely fall apart by the reasoning of someone else? Or seeing someone believing she/he knows much about it?
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