Wednesday 13 April 2016

K is for Knowledge

Can you get too much knowledge? After all, humans has seeked greater knowledge all the way from the tree in the Garden of Eden (which was a mistake, we're told, but probably necessary nontheless). How much can we grasp, how much of our surroundings have we the potential to understand and describe?

We've certainly reached a point where experts have trouble explaining their recent findings in a way others can understand. 

I'm no exception. When I find something that interests me, I want to know everything about it. In these times it's not hard to find any information you want, it's just a few clicks away. Internet is at your fingertips and you only need a few seconds to have a long list of links to search.

The problem isn't finding knowledge. The problem is to sift through it, decide what's trustworthy and what's not. What's good to know, and what only harms me. In that respect we haven't moved far from Adam and Eve. They too had to chooce whom to trust to speak the truth.

Or, as a friend of mine said not too long ago: "April 1 is the only day people use source criticism online."

When it comes to writing, knowledge seeking is called research. It's necessary to get the facts right, whatever you are writing about. Even in my made-up fantasy world, I have to get the basics right (everything from realistic travel-time on foot to where you aquire new shoes or how you wear a sword without tripping).

The problem is the same here. Sift through, deciding which "expert" to trust. And then comes the real thing: knowing when you've had enough. Research is fun. Too fun. It easily becomes the worst procrastination tool ever. Because as long as I'm researching things for my novel I can fool myself into thinking I'm working on my novel, even if I don't write a word.

I've been there far too many times.

2 comments:

  1. "The problem isn't finding knowledge. The problem is to sift through it, decide what's trustworthy and what's not."
    Well said!

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