Knowing Trumps Knowledge

Just as an ace of spade trumps the king of spades, knowing trumps knowledge.

An intelligent person does not care much about information and knowledge. An intelligent person cares much more for the capacity to know.

His or her interest is in knowing, not just knowledge. Knowing gives you understanding, where knowledge gives one a feeling of understanding, without giving you real understanding.

Knowledge is important. It’s critical for careers and professions. And society depends on knowledge for guidance and direction. But sometimes knowledge can be false and misleading.

You can accumulate knowledge by reading, by writing books, obtaining degrees. But these degrees by themselves don’t necessarily make you smarter.

To be a knower means to be an adventurer, where you go out and discover this information for yourself.

Let me give you an example.

I lived in Puerto Rico a number of years back. And I had a good friend who was very knowledgeable about Puerto Rico history, the cuisine, and their culture. In contrast, I was not as knowledgeable. I’m more of a knower, I’m an adventurer.

I drove into the mountains. I brought my trumpet, and I joined different parties. I learned to play salsa and merengue. I learned to dance it.

I’m a scuba diver and snorkeler. So I would catch lobster, conch, and caught grouper, and I would bring it to these outdoor parties were they’d prepare them in meals. And I learned how to cook and how to prepare plantains.

I would drive to work, and I would buy pineapples and coconuts from men carrying machetes on the side of the road. And I was fortunate enough to be invited into the sugar cane fields to cut the sugar cane myself.

A few years ago, I ran into José Feliciano in a nightclub. We started chatting, and after a while, he realized, and he said to me, “For a gringo you’re pretty knowledgeable about my home of Puerto Rico.”

Today, I can actually tell you, that I’m a richer person because I am a knower.