For the world as a whole, obtaining knowledge has always been our goal. We want to know how the world works. We want to know what makes people tick and why they act the way they do. We want to know what aspects of a species provides them with the ability to survive over another similar to it. We want to know why evil people like Hitler thought they were making the world a better place to live in. We want to know if out there somewhere there is a way to stop people from suffering from horrible diseases like cancer. We want to know what is going to happen to us on both a physical and spiritual level when we die. We want to know; we want to know; we always want to know. So in order to know, we are on a continual quest to find out more about ourselves and the world around us. I believe that knowledge is power, but I also believe that too much power is dangerous. Not only is it dangerous for the world, but it can also prove harmful to an individual personally. Once you know something, you can never go back to a point where you don’t know it even when you wish with all you’ve got that you could. Knowledge is good for us to advance as people. However, sometimes the only thing knowledge brings is pain.
The power of knowledge has indeed brought much happiness into the world. Knowledge has brought us the ability to heal. Knowledge has allowed us to create new technologies that make our lives so much easier than they used to be. Knowledge saves lives, and knowledge keeps countries from collapsing. Knowledge, to put it simply, helps the world constantly advance to being greater than it was before. If we are constantly advancing, then we are constantly finding new ways to make our lives better. If we are constantly making our lives better, then knowledge, in this way, indeed brings more happiness. People, of course, are happier when they learn that scientists have found an effective way to treat their cancer. People, of course, are happy when they discover technology that allows them to keep in contact with someone they love who is far away from them. Knowledge, of course, makes people happier. However, man often takes knowledge too far.
Man often tries to acquire so much knowledge in his lifetime. When man acquires too much knowledge, then it only drives man to madness and sadness. Take Dr. Frankenstein for example. Frankenstein was filled with a sense of desperation when his mother died, and that made him want to acquire knowledge. Experiencing death at such a young age, Frankenstein wanted to know if he could break the limitations of death. He did, upon bringing the monster to life. However, he found that he, in fact, hated the monster, and the monster turned on him, causing him to experience the death of his friends and eventually himself. He went too far with his knowledge, and not only did that bring him sadness, but ultimately it caused his demise.
As another example, government secrets. There are people today that believe the government should keep absolutely nothing from us. These people want to know every mission the government embarks on. They want to know every little detail about the workings of the government. These people are naïve. The government keeps secrets from us for a reason. Not all of them are good reasons, but plenty of them are. If you knew everything the government did for you, you would be appalled at the lengths it has to take. You don’t really want to know every single person the government kills or tortures to keep us safe. You don’t want the weight of that guilt hanging onto you everywhere you go. Sometimes, people are just better off not knowing. Knowledge has the ability to make us incredibly happy and incredibly miserable at the same time. It is out there for us to take and use, but we must be careful with it.
