Knowledge is power - Is it true or just a myth?

Knowledge is power

Albert Einstein is a powerful figure
because of his knowledge

When I was a kid, people said that knowledge is power. So we must have knowledge in order for us to be successful. Is it true or just a myth? Well, I think that it might be true for the past generation because those who have knowledge at that time are those who are successful. Think about it, Albert Einstein, Isaac Newton and Al-Farabi. These are those who make it big and his name was made known to the rest of the world. They don’t create any product or services, but they founded some knowledge that most of us still learn in this new world.

Things already changed

However, somewhere in 2009, I heard in a seminar, the speaker said “‘Knowledge is power’ is the biggest lie that I ever heard. Knowledge is potential power, but knowledge with application is power.” Well at that time I think that it make sense. If you have the knowledge but you did nothing with it you are absolutely added no value to people. I have studied engineering for 5 years but I am no good engineer because I only practice it for only 3 years and that knowledge that I have now, doesn’t make me any powerful. However, I don’t believe that the mantra ‘knowledge is power’ is the biggest lie. I just think that it was outdated. It was true before our generation, but because of the environment have changed, knowledge is power is no more relevant. What are more powerful is to take action from our knowledge. Because there are information overload due to the internet, we don’t have to be knowledgeable, but we just need to know how to get that knowledge. And most importantly is what we do with that knowledge. The key word is to take action.

What are the impact?

Looking towards the trend now, I do think that everybody can obtain knowledge easily. Universities in the past concentrating on providing knowledge to people. In the past, the bigger the library the more reputable the university was. But nowadays, people are looking at what the university can produce. Some university changed their theme to ‘Where knowledge is applied.’ The more a university can produce marketable graduate, the more powerful the reputation of the university. Not only grade, but what the graduate can contribute by the action that one might take. 

Mindset - It is not what you do, but how you do

Once upon a time, there was a father who was very ill. Before he passed away, he got some final words for his children "My children, I have two important reminder for both of you for the success of your life. The first one, do not collect debt from anyone. And the second one, do not expose your body direct to the hot sun." After those words, the father rest in peace.

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Five years later, the mother pay some visit to the elder son. He saw his son is not doing very well and started to ask, "Dear son, what happened to your business?"

The elder son replied, "Mom, I just follow dad's advice. He advice us not to collect debt from anyone. So most of my customer did not paid their debt and after a while my cashflow is in trouble. His second advice was not to expose ourself to direct to the sun. I have a motorcycle, but because of his advice I have to ride a taxi everyday to commute from home to my workplace."

Her mother pity him, but could not offer any assistance.

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