Is knowledge really power?

Knowledge can be power, but it is not necessarily. Knowledge can cripple you.

If you don't know a language, and someone is cursing at or insulting you in that language, what difference does it make? It's not hurting you. But if he or she is cursing at you in a language you understand, now you get hurt, no matter how much you say "Stick and bones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." Bullshit.

Sometimes it's better to willfully be ignorant of something if you know it will hurt you. Comments on the internet are a good example. You may read nine positive comments out of ten, but you know that one negative comment will have more power over you than all those nine positive ones combined. So don't read the comments.

Sometimes a belief can change your reality over time. You may start off doing something poorly, but with a good work-ethic and a belief that you'll improve, you may eventually excel at it. However, if you take a snapshot of your performance during your trying-times, that snapshot becomes knowledge that you're doing poorly. It might take away from all your hopes and beliefs that you will improve. You may start to believe that you will never improve. So this isn't good, either.

Another example I can think of is when people weigh themselves every day and let that silly little number define them, and set the tone for the entire day. If the number is too high, he or she might be depressed and not do anything constructive at all.

Knowledge is not necessarily power. Sometimes ignorance, combined with hope and faith is the key to achieving your dreams.

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