by Lisa H Warren
Knowledge truly is power.
A quick and simple example of how knowledge is power can be seen in the fact that we pay our plumbers, electricians, physicians, mechanics, dentists, and others for their knowledge in their fields.
Knowledge is power when it comes to making a point either in an argument or in an attempt to persuade others. The sarcastic remark about getting into a "battle of wits with an unarmed person" that has made its way into books about "come-backs" or witty remarks and onto bumper stickers and refrigerator magnets is funny, but it also rings a bell of truth. Arguments are won by people who have the facts. They are won when the opponent cannot punch holes in what is presented. The person with less knowledge of a subject is usually the one who presents an argument in which the opponent can easily punch holes.
When it comes to life in general, knowledge is power. The person who understands himself and other humans gets along better with others, understands how to care for others, knows how to get respect for himself, knows how to learn and teach, and understands any number of other things that can make interacting with others and becoming a whole person easier.
Knowledge of what it takes to raise children or socialize pets results in well behaved, well adjusted, happier and healthier children and pets. There is power and happiness and peace in a home where healthy practices exist and dysfunctional behavior doesn't.
Knowledge of history offers insight, as well as the benefit of hindsight. It provides a frame-of-reference - and therefore grounding - for approaching present-day situations, and it provides a deeper appreciation of people and life in the past, present, and future. In general, seeing the "bigger picture" is always more useful and powerful than seeing only the "small picture" for any number of reasons.
Knowledge of science is the reason so many of yesterday's problems have been eradicated. Knowledge of science gives its possessor the ability to understand the world and universe around him and to make beneficial choices.
Knowledge of math offers a wide range of benefits. Among them is that knowledge of math enhances problem-solving ability. Enough of an understanding of math changes how a person thinks and views the world. It also makes managing one's own financial life easier and more capably, which - as with anything anyone can do for himself - amounts to a certain amount of power.
Knowledge doesn't always guarantee winning in a situation where physical strength or brute force is the defining factor, as in the case of when a knowledgeable person is mugged by a drug-crazed individual in need of money. At the same time, though, even when it comes to a situation like this there are times when knowledge will help a person know how to stay out of such a situation, affect the degree of damage that results from it, or effectively deal with what has already happened in a way that prevents it from happening again. (In other words, a knowledgeable person may be better at making sure he gets the information needed and the right authorities involved to put the criminal away.) Also, though, the person with knowledge of self-defense is better able to protect himself in such a situation.
When it comes group conflicts such as a war, it is those who have the most knowledge who are best able to develop strategies for winning.
The person who is not an attorney but who has a good lay-person's general knowledge of his rights under the law and of how laws work is less likely to be victimized than the person who doesn't. The person who is not a doctor but who has a good lay-person's general knowledge of health and disease is more likely to know when to get professional care than the person who lives in ignorant bliss. While knowledge of history may not offer power to the person in need of a new transmission in his car, there are times when knowledge in one area can help a person in another area. For example, the person who understands computers may transfer his knowledge of how a computer works to his ideas of how his own thinking works. The person with solid knowledge of grammar and the meaning of words will use that knowledge to read and gain knowledge in other areas. Someone with excellent communications skills will be better able to present an argument or help his child understand something better than the person who lacks that type of knowledge.
Having knowledge of any particular type or even a lot of knowledge about a lot of things will not guarantee that a person will become president of a large corporation or of a country. It will not necessarily guarantee an amazing income, and it certainly won't guarantee freedom from some illnesses or losses in life. In general, though, in all areas of life knowledge is power; and in general, it is those who have knowledge who will succeed in any of those areas while those who have little knowledge are the ones most likely to remain powerless.
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