Thanks for joining me for another edition of the SerenityThroughSweat blog. I get a lot of time on layovers to catch up on my podcasts, and a quote from a recent JRE episode stood out to me. It seemed extremely relevant to the message of this blog as well as a situation many of us will find ourselves in over the coming months.
I believe it was James Lindsay in JRE episode #1501 (but I could be wrong sometimes episodes blend together in my mind) who said “your knowledge is only worth what you can build with it”
My first instinct was the parallel between the rising cost of college and a large number of liberal arts degrees that are given out at significant cost, while the owners of those degrees struggle to find meaningful employment.
The question becomes what was the cost of those degrees, what was the cost of the knowledge gained, and what is each worth? I have separated those ideas on purpose because there is a distinction.
The degree cost can be almost entirely accounted for monetarily. How much money was spent between classes, room and board, book, etc… The worth of that degree is difficult to measure but I would say it’s value is what you are able to do with it that you would be unable to do without. Some jobs require a 4 year degree, some offer significant pay raises for a 4 year degree. You can then make your own decision on whether or not the degree was “worth” it.
Knowledge on the other hand doesn’t really cost anything (or at least significantly less in monetary terms. There are countless resources for free classes from top universities, free books, lectures, and presentations on a never ending array of subject matter. The cost is your time, effort, and energy. (And money if you are going the university route)
The worth of that knowledge, as the quote so eloquently put, is worth what you can build with it. This sounds to me like a fancy way of saying you get out what you put in. Just because you have the knowledge doesn’t necessarily mean you have the skill, ability, and determination to apply it. That doesn’t make the knowledge worthless, but it does significantly change its valuation.
As an athlete and a martial artist, it is very easy to get to the truth of this concept. Just because you know a technique doesn’t mean you can successfully use it. That knowledge is is not worthless, but it’s worth is increased by practice and application. Just because I watch the UFC and I can identify techniques and strategies (knowledge), doesn’t mean I can jump in the cage and compete. (Worth)
Changing gears, Covid-19 had already ravaged large portions of the economy and will continue to do so. Certain sectors, anything requiring physical contact or large public gatherings, have been hit particularly hard. People in those sectors (myself included) will likely be forced to pivot at least temporarily to other forms of employment. When we do, what will be able to build with the knowledge we have accrued?
Thanks for joining me, stay safe and stay sweaty my friends.
This week in SerenityThroughSweat, barefoot beach miles in the panhandle, both boys enjoy the bike path and the beach, and catching up with college buddies on a layover.
