Sharing is caring

View of the image in a rear view mirror

Info sharing: Don’t look where you’ve been nearly as much as where you’re going to be, ’cause you need to have time to adjust to new and unexpected conditions.

I’ve been thinking for some time now that sharing knowledge is mightier than the pen or sword. It’s a slower process than the the sword, obviously. But it’s more powerful in its own way.

I haven’t shared much of the thinking I’ve been doing because it’s radical enough that people will be more likely to get defensive over it than weigh the pros and cons— but times have changed and not just in the US but around the world. Thoughts need to be shared partly in case a time comes when they no longer can be, but even more importantly—and sit down because this is the radical part—because most everything else humans do and have done is stupid.

Even our pretend is stupid.

Look, the sword is the popular choice in fiction. It’s sexy and exciting, it’s fast and it gets the job done. Plus you don’t have to actually experience the negative parts: the blood and gore, the stink and filth of fighting, and, um, the dying part. That’s the beauty of fiction: it’s all gain, no pain.

But the real world isn’t like fiction. Reality is full of those above-mentioned negative parts and wait! there’s more! In the real world, the sword, i.e. force, i.e. taking away individual choice, is the default. That’s just history, which shows us that might makes right. Trouble is, these days “might” also makes for a lot of collateral damage.

That’s where sharing knowledge comes in. The more that people know, the less acceptable that swinging a sword around at others works as a solution to differences of opinion.

And this brings me back to the irony of how sharing knowledge is working these days. Public education is becoming public propaganda to replace science, math, and the arts. This is alarming but what, to me, is even worse, is that the people who know things about science, math, and the arts, mostly want to sell that knowledge.

We don’t even get to try it before we buy it.

I’m wondering what if instead the people with knowledge gave it away to anyone who wanted to know? What if the competition wasn’t to make more money but to get more knowledge out into the world? To gain masses of followers to teach instead of creating a marketing base?

Heck, what if there was no competition at all, just knowledge offered anywhere and everywhere so people could do all the wonderful things that are now promised if only you’re willing to subscribe for a low monthly fee?

I don’t know. Maybe it’s just me, but I think if someone’s got the knowledge of the ultimate spiritual practices, or the most powerful foods for health, or how to generate enough electrical power for everyone without destroying the planet, then that someone should share it. We can’t all just give away our efforts, but our knowledge… that’s something different.

I think that yeah, violence and absolute power are how humanity has muddled along to get us where we are today, but come on, yesterday’s gone. Don’t stop thinking about tomorrow.

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Yes, okay, that was a kind of rambling post, but I don’t have time for a PhD thesis, I just wanted to throw out some ideas. I bet you have thoughts about those ideas. Go on, share them. Please.

 

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About lifstrand

Lif Strand began writing fiction when she was a kid. Nobody read her stories. A former Arabian horse breeder and endurance racer, then reporter and freelance white paper writer, Lif lives in a straw bale house off-the-grid and writes fiction once more--or at least whenever she’s not scooping horse poop, taking photos, or playing with fabric art.

2 Responses to Sharing is caring

  1. Cressy Drummond says:

    thanks for the food for thought. cressy

  2. Linda Brown says:

    Trying to reach you today. Sent you a FB message. 602-622-6641 or 575-773-4596.

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