Truth vs. Knowledge

Ron Suskind, in his book The One Percent Doctrine, asserts in the preface that knowledge is power and that Americans behave accordingly. While the former may be true, the latter statement does not reflect reality. If we truly believed within our innermost selves that knowledge is power our behavior would reflect that belief. But it doesn’t. For example, so many of us “knew” that Al Gore said he invented the Internet.

What we Americans really do is buy into whatever information - true or not – fits comfortably into our worldviews. We tend to accept automatically ideas that provide support for our preconceptions. We don’t question what we think we “know” because it is far more comfortable to not critically appraise deeply held beliefs. All most of us really want is confirmation that we’re right. Any information – however valid it may be – is usually discarded if not in accord with an internal reference point.

We would shout less and listen more. We would investigate and inquire. We would examine and seek explanations.

But we don’t. Rather, we pay attention to only those superficially factual statements that support whatever ideas we bring to the table. Some of us know with absolute certainty that America is the noble land of the free and home of the brave. Others of us know with the same certainty that America is a deeply flawed society that viciously suppresses dissent in the most cowardly fashion. Some are absolutely adamant that we live in the ultimate land of opportunity. Others assert with comparable conviction that this country systematically creates economic inequality and purposefully impoverishes the masses.

We say we are seeking solutions, but we’re not. If we were, our national discourse would not be defined by whoever shouts the loudest.