Letters

The more you know, the more you know that all you know is not all you know.

That’s why the phrase “The more you know …” usually ends up with three dots, because anybody may finish it the way he or she wants to. But no matter what word or how many of them are behind those three dots, the final effect comes down to one thing: education. Common understanding is that education is everything, that it is the key to success.

But what kind of success are you aiming for? Money? Fame? Recognition? Happiness?

The more you want to know, the more questions you ask. But it appears that some people don’t want you to be too curious. So instead of asking, you walk around pretending that you are a horse whose vision is obscured by blinders. You are able to hear, but you try not to look and see.

People graduate from different schools, and it seems that it should be obvious that the higher education they have, the more common sense you may expect from them. But everyday life mercilessly corrects such wishful thinking.

Recently, people ask who the president of the United States is. It is a simple question. But for some reason, the answer is somewhat vague, and it starts with: uhm, well, listen, you know, I mean, it is a very complex question …

To be vaccinated or not to be vaccinated is another “the more you know …” dilemma. Is science worthy to be taken under the consideration? Are all the efforts to save as many human lives as possible worthless? Who are the right people to listen to: politicians, scientists, gurus, shamans?

Maybe the “president” and the “vaccine” questions are too complicated, so maybe the “smart shopper” question is a more down-to-earth one.

There are shopping carts at a grocery store. Intelligent people take them inside and fill them up. Then they load the trunks of their cars — and leave the cart in the nearest empty parking slot. They won’t even think for a moment that the cart they just used, and left, is preventing another customer from parking his or her car.

What kind of school did the smart shopper graduate from? What did he learn? What kind of example is he for other shoppers? Is he going to teach others how things should be done?

Very often, when you know that you know something, it is safer to play stupid, because it pleases someone else who thinks he knows better. “The more you know …” changes to “The less you know, the better for you” — and your goal is achieved.

Ryszard Krasowski

Hampton Bays