The Uselessness of Half Knowledge
I think one thing we can all agree upon is that all of us carry some form of half knowledge. Whether it’s about computers, philosophy, politics, history, health... the list is endless. We skim an article, watch a thirty-second clip, hear a quote secondhand, and suddenly, it lodges itself in our brain as truth. It’s easier to possess a slice of understanding than to chisel the whole sculpture of truth.
But half-knowledge is a trickster. It whispers, "You know enough," when in reality, you don't even know the shape of the mountain you're standing on. It gives us just enough confidence to be dangerous, but not enough wisdom to be useful. And sometimes, it’s not even out of arrogance, it’s just the speed at which we live.
Half Knowledge has become even more dangerous and worse with the rise of short-form content (yes, tiktok started all of this) and it not only gives us more and more half knowledge about seemingly anything and everything.
Having general knowledge about events happening around the world is beneficial for all of us, but being confident that you know about it more than you know is harmful.
Worse, these things decrease our attention span and focus (I'll talk about that later) and if you are exposed to it for a long period of time, these might become unfixable or will take long time to fix.
But I am not here to yap about stuff you already know. I'm here to talk about something deeper:
The illusion of competence that half-knowledge creates.
It’s not just that we don't know enough — it's that half-knowledge convinces us that we already know everything we need to. And that illusion is far more dangerous than ignorance.
A person who knows they're ignorant stays curious. They ask questions. They listen. But a person armed with half-truths walks into the world with the confidence of a master and the wisdom of a child. And he doesn't even realize it.
History is full of disasters powered by half-knowledge. Medical quacks convincing people to reject real treatments. Politicians misreading economic principles and crashing entire systems. Investors who watched one YouTube video on “how to get rich quick” and lost everything.
Half-knowledge doesn't just slow personal growth. Sometimes, it wrecks lives.
The scary part? You won't even feel it happening. It will sit there like a parasite in your mind, convincing you you're right, that you’re smart, that you’re informed. And by the time you realize the gaps in your knowledge, you're already standing knee-deep in consequences.
That’s why half-knowledge is worse than ignorance. Ignorance is honest. Half-knowledge is a lie you tell yourself.
Be aware citizens. Delete Tiktok and Instagram. Stop watching short form content.
I can only warn you, the real power lies in your hand.
Thank you, NSS