Knowledge and art will save the world
“Evil isn’t the real threat to the world. Stupid is just as destructive as Evil, maybe more so, and it’s a hell of a lot more common. What we really need is a crusade against Stupid. That might actually make a difference.”- Jim Butcher
Knowledge is supposed to be shared through communication. That is why we developed verbal communication, to share information and further evolve as a species.
However, our verbal communication is flawed, simply because we are all different individuals, and have unique perspectives.
Let me explain.
Person A has a complex idea or thought. Person A then takes that complex flow of thought and compresses it, turns it into words. Those words — in sound bites are then transferred to people B, C, and D. People B, C, and D need to receive, unpack and understand this verbal package of information. During this process, one part of the information is lost during compression, one part during the transfer, and one part during the unpacking.
There is no 1: 1 transfer of complex ideas or thought flows.
After all of this, the idea probably loses its original meaning and there is a high probability that each of the three recipients has their unique version of said idea. We replace lost data with personal interpretation. The whole situation becomes even worse when linguistic barriers introduce another possible variation in the whole process.
I am sure that somewhere in the future, it will be possible to communicate directly, from one mind to another, via brain implants, and transfer complex ideas, 1:1, thus achieving total understanding.
I humanity survives that far in the future.
Of course, this is a slightly utopian view. There are likely quite a few negative sides to this.
All of this got me thinking about how much our communication is limited, and how much is lost just because every conversation leads to loss of information.
I had to ask the question:
What can we do, today, to limit the loss of information in our verbal communication?
What immediately comes to mind is that we need to improve our tools that compress and unpack those information packets received via verbal transfer. We need to increase our intellectual capacity, boost our CPU, so we can process more information.
How do we achieve this? Magic, astrology, evoking memories of past lives, reuniting with mother earth?
No, there is no magic. This is achieved through education, both formal and informal, through learning, reading, listening. Formal education through school is the foundation on which we later build our knowledge. We start reading encyclopedias, history, biology, physics, philosophy, fiction, fantasy, fairy tales, poetry, newspapers — anything to inform us better.
Simply put, we gather enough information so that we can express our thoughts more precisely, that is, to compress our ideas more efficiently, limit the first information loss — so that the recipient of the verbal communication has fewer things to interpret.
Similarly, when we are the recipients of the verbal communication packages, we will more efficiently compensate for the loss of information during the unpacking process if we possess sufficient knowledge.
Therefore, we often say to someone that they speak “ our language “, meaning that they are easy to understand. A simple and easy level of communication is more efficient. We notice that people with similar education, who belong to similar social circles, work in the same branches of industry communicate more easily.
More common points equal easier communication.
The only thing we can do as individuals is to grow our knowledge base and facilitate easier communication.
Despite that, a conversation remains a limiting form. There is a high chance of mishearing, and repeating the same phrase can raise the chances for error.
That is why we have the written word. With writing, we have time to arrange our thoughts in such a way- to arrange that package of information- so there is minimal need for unpacking.
To be literate is not only an ability to read and write but rather the ability to express complex thoughts via the written word. Quality varies with talent, but education increases clarity. Everything can be learned.
So, when your child argues that they will never need the knowledge of literature, or the skill to write an essay for “real” life, please explain that this is the first step of them becoming more than cheap labor and a voter.
Now that we know how to express thoughts and ideas about things and concepts that we perceive and transfer them to each other with a minimum loss of information.
What shall we do with abstract and imaginary ideas?
For this, my dears, we have art.
The artist is the one that can reach for these abstract ideas of truth, justice, love and bring a piece of them down to us. Without art, there is no evolution of human society. Art reminds us of our failures and pushes us toward progress. Art provides guidelines when we step off from the good road, or it gives us pointers about the future.
The artist is the one who exposes the atrocity in man’s existence.
The artist is the one who can imagine a better world and show it to us as if they have already seen it.
Artists are the guardians of beauty. They make it immortal — prevent the sting of time from destroying it.
Artists are the bearers of truth. They inspire revolution, bring change and promote peace. Art is the engine of society.
From Dante, who in his poem tried to draw attention to the social situation in Italy, via Michelangelo who saw the divine beauty of the human body, to modern works of science fiction, artists are the ones who trigger emotions, conversations, and reflections.
The ability of the artist to imagine the abstract and to glimpse the future is what inspires civilizations. Sometimes they bring back new ideas, other times they come back with warnings. Art transforms all that abstractness and unattainability into something that can be seen, heard, or felt. Let’s say that it somehow reduces all that to communication packages that we can unpack and understand.
Therefore, perhaps, it is no wonder that every government, state or corporation, wants to control education and to replace art with low-cost entertainment.
Just look where we are today.
Basic education is reduced to a minimum. It is designed to produce people that are just enough functional so they can work a minimum wage job and be grateful for it. High education is available only for the privileged and is usually streamlined. It is focused only on narrow areas tough to understand, and hard to explain to a larger audience. Biologists and sociologists argue instead of studying the human condition together.
Art is humiliated. One can hardly make a living from art. Music is not an artistic expression, but the entertainment of millions. Instead of moving and ascending, she succumbs to the lowest impulses. Paintings and sculptures have become decor, not a visual representation of personal truth, beauty, emotion. They are traded as a commodity, a plaything for the rich. They do not buy art because it woke up something deep in the soul, but to fit between the white wall and LED light. Art is an arbitrary investment used to evade taxes and launder money.
Books are sold at newsagents and kiosks with cigarettes and chewing gum. Buy 1 get 1 free.
They are not for provoking thoughts and ideas, they are intended for killing time on the subway. They are written to entertain, not to ennoble. Once the book is finished it is time to throw it away
Movies, television, everything is in the service of the circus. Panem et circenses — bread and games .
Now, look around yourself. Acknowledge the current state of the society in the nation or the country where you live.
If you live in a society where knowledge and art are being replaced with “smart” and entertainment, you are most likely not free. You live for someone else’s shed blood and stale bread. You think you have power because you think your howling in the arena gives life or death to the gladiators.
Art and knowledge are the guardians of freedom because they enable people to understand the world. People who cannot communicate with one another do not understand each other. Out of sheer frustration, and due to the impossibility to communicate, they will just make noise.
Whenever there is confusion there is always some shithead that starts giving orders. Orders alleviate the confusion. Commands are always simple, the minimum of information. Communication 1:0, there is no need for interpretation, everything is clear. Orders are easy to understand, they give you a purpose and a place. That’s what everyone wants — to find their place in the world among these people. Nobody wants to be afraid.
If a person loses the ability to understand other people and to understand the world the only thing available that helps with the existential anxiety are orders. You listen to the news, to marketing campaigns, social media, politicians, motivational speakers, self-help gurus, priests, parents… whoever is the loudest at that given moment.
The path is clear. Those who do cannot communicate and know the world, are doomed to be afraid of it. Ignorance breeds fear. By manipulating fear, without replacing it with knowledge and love, one can rule the world. History has shown us that much.
As long as we don’t arm ourselves with knowledge and art, as long as we listen to lies that bring more fear, as long as we take orders, as long as we don’t communicate, we are doomed to be afraid and divided.
Fear will always give birth to hate. More hate will bring more fear. More fear and hate bring dark times.
Knowledge will always grow into love. Love will allow people to share more knowledge. More knowledge and love bring enlightenment.
We are free to choose our path.
Neither one is easy.