by Chris Savoie

Knowledge is a Tool

Knowledge is information that exists somewhere between facts and wisdom.  Many definitions associate knowledge with experience, giving some context to facts or data.  Describing someone as “knowledgeable” on a given topic is a compliment.  Knowledge in itself is merely a tool, something that can be used however its possessor chooses.  If you have never driven a car, reading about parallel parking probably would not give you knowledge of parking a car.  The information you read would become knowledge once it was applied.  Once you actually parallel parked a car, the knowledge of what parallel parking actually means becomes a tool in your toolbox for future adventures. 

The Curse of Knowledge

Often knowledge includes risk awareness.  Focusing on the risks leads us to avoid the benefits that come along.  A lot of people abhor parallel parking and might even avoid a fun activity because they believe it will require parallel parking.  This curse of knowledge, particularly of associated risk, rears its head often.  Valid risks such as “it might rain”, “we’ll never find parking”, or “it will be too crowded” are built on knowledge from our experience.  After these experiences, we may say to ourselves “never again” or “if I had only known”.  These moments lead us to avoid the entire situation in the future, including both the good and the bad.

Knowing is Half the Battle

When I was a kid, I watched a cartoon where they said “knowing is half the battle”.  I never really understood what they meant.  Today, I believe that just as in our parallel parking memory, having knowledge of yourself and an upcoming experience can help you prepare.  The second and third attempts at parallel parking came with clearer knowledge of what to really expect.  Knowledge of ourselves, our emotions, and changes in our environment can increase our resilience as we encounter unexpected shifts or difficult situations.  Using our knowledge towards deliberate preparation, identifying uncertainty, and closing or accepting gaps in knowledge can be the difference between success and failure.

Wisdom versus Knowledge

Being deliberate in our choices requires more than just knowledge.  Although we might compliment a person on their parallel parking as “skillful”, simply possessing a high ability does not automatically mean that the skilled person uses it appropriately.  In nearly any movie involving good versus evil, the villain is typically at least as skillful as the hero.  We tend to root for the hero not due to their skill, but because of their choices.  As with any tool, choosing to use knowledge consistently with our values requires wisdom.  Wisdom uses our judgement to overcome the curse of knowledge by genuinely balancing the pros and cons.  Building from information to knowledge is an important step, then good judgement allows us to share the benefits of the knowledge we have gained.