Admittedly, I would insist that we really DO need to know (fill in the blank). But… could I be wrong? Is it possible to have too much access to the sources of knowledge? Notice the word is ‘access’ and not a rejection of knowing. With today’s instant availability, suddenly we’re faced with two problems: 1- the veracity of the information provided and 2- what we really need to know – you have to admit that there is a great deal of ‘fluff’ and ‘confidential source’ thus no way to substantiate. Plus there are never ending sources of information and never ending areas/subjects to know.
Part of the answer to those issues underscores what we ‘do’ with the information. IF we are going to cite the information then there has to be a level of confidence in the source. But determining if we can trust the source is critical and somewhat tricky. Unfortunately, we aren’t always able to verify the
reliability of the source – and do remember that past performance is never proof of current behavior. Our source may have a source who is in error and thus only repeating. Sometimes it seems that the information is unduly biased or there is misdirection or it is misleading – that there is no such thing as ‘pure’ information.
More and more we seem to be returning to (or need to) the old adage that if you didn’t see with your own eyes or hear with your own ears, then take it is a possible but not a definite ‘truth’. Another way of saying it is … take what is said with a grain of salt and/or consider the source. The dilemma is the need to know and the trust of the information… never an easy balancing act. If the information is not for distribution then we have some time to see how this ‘plays out’. But if it is repeated and/or relied on then the quality of knowing has to be of high integrity.
‘How’ we know is as important as ‘what’ we know or need to know. What’s important to know? Even more important is: what’s simply important to know and where to find the needed information… when it’s needed?
…but, what do you think? what do you believe?
