When I was six, I knew a few things: my best friend's telephone number, the fact that I did not like chocolate ice cream, that Hey Arnold! was the most tear-jerking television series in existence (still is), and that I'd always prefer Crayola to RoseArt. I think I must have known that there was more to life than this, but at that point, I don't suppose I really cared. I knew everything there was to know, right?
But as I got older, it got a little more complicated.
I knew a few more things further into primary school. As a book-obsessed 3rd-grader, I was adamant about reading every novel in existence (surely, after perusing the dusty shelves of my K-6 school's modest--you know, closet-sized--library and finding nothing new, I would have accomplished this goal). In fact, at this age, I had all my bases covered--I was going to "grow up" to become a part-time neurosurgeon/teacher/author, possibly vacationing on weekends in Iceland or maybe Peru. Maybe I knew that I didn't know everything, but I doubt that... Then, at least, I knew that I had the capacity to know everything. Yes, everything. And I would have defended that position for anything.
Probably a year or two later I realised that I wouldn't be able to read ALL the books (insert Hyperbole-and-a-Half meme here). I gave up any notion of this achievement after coming to see that to complete the task I'd have to become slightly (slightly?) delusional, and both the speediest and most motivated reader the world had ever seen, not excluding the fact that I'd have to read more than one Nicolas Sparks book (Okay, okay, maybe I didn't find bad romance novels abhorrent AT THE TIME, but you get the picture). At the time I probably didn't know that there are at least 129,864,880 books in existence, either (Thank you Google). I rejected the notion out of unwillingness rather than knowledge of impossibility, which tells you one thing.
When the number of times I'd spun around the sun reached double-digits (the ultimate breakthrough!), I knew everything just as my parents "knew everything," though I probably wouldn't have admitted that my opinions stemmed directly from theirs (I'm smart enough to be self-aware, now! Please, I'm ten.)
The age of fifteen brought an onslaught of "salvation," as I would have called it. Think vivacious rejection of every "misconception" previously believed to an... unfortunately great extent. Embarassingly so. This point in time was also an unfortunate spell of narcissism and misanthropy (and fortunately, a brief one).
Sadly, sometimes when you discover that you're wrong you immediately think the opposite is correct. To me, this is relevant. But perhaps the most curious stage of growing up is the moment when we realise we can "think for ourselves," and with a spoonful of naivete and no grain of salt, that's exactly what we do.
As Oscar Wilde once said, "I am not young enough to know everything," and I both resent and sorely miss that beautiful yet naive delusion. Though seventeen is slightly (ahem, greatly) short of wisdom, awareness of the breadth of information I will never be able to acheive takes me one step closer to... not wisdom, but a greater maturity in understanding the world. And I won't consider myself well-read until my GoodReads account tallies 129,864,880.
I hope that I never know everything.
But that's not really something I'll have to worry about.
-Now don't ask for my opinion on "ignorance is bliss," because that's a whole nother novel that I have no intention on writing.
haha kristin too funny bro, out of all the blogs i read i personally think yours is the greatest. Its perfectly organized and flows with obstacle. You are probably the best blogger i know so far (sorry miss hamill), keep up the good work. id like to save the best for last and question your opinion on "Hey Arnold". You just got negative swag points for that
ReplyDeleteWell, quite the life story! I appreciate your pairing of knowledge and age, it reminds me of the first Mary Poppins novel, in which the two babies, whilst still under the age of one, were incredibly intelligent and knowledgeable; alas though, they were helpless as the only person they could communicate with was Poppins herself. The purity of youth endows us with such a simple understanding of the world, and we never consider the possibility that the simpleness might be the truth, the whole, the entirety! With age comes responsibilities, and with responsibilities come complications...people make things to complicated
ReplyDeleteVERY well-written, your tone is casual yet your style is clever. You're quite the seamstress
This post was quite interesting, defining your life along with your age and maturity and also the knowledge that comes with both of those. I can really get behind this post, well, because I agree entirely with what you said. I think that how you compared age and knowledge along with the amount of knowledge we have as opposed to what we think we have is amazing, syntax is great and diction is beautiful.
ReplyDelete-Alex
Beautiful Kristin! I really like it, love how you said "When the number of times I'd spun around the sun reached double-digits..." Took me less than a second to realize what that actually mean. Great job, it's really good. I also think that you are the best blogger I know so far. The way you actually brought me in, it was interesting. At first I didn't want to read it because it was so long, but once I started to read it, I wanted to keep reading and reading and reading. Again, great job!
ReplyDeleteThis I great! I really enjoyed how you incorporated your life with your quote. It made it much more interesting. I especially loved how you told the story in stages of your life; it made it much more personal. Keep up the good work because you did an awesome job.
ReplyDeleteTenisha wrote the Anonymous post
DeleteI love your subtle, but very noticeable sarcastic rhetorical question, "I knew everything there was to know, right?" and how you state, "it got a little more complicated," because I completely understand why it would get more complicated. I understand......with the more knowledge and understanding you have, the more you understand that you know so much less than you really CAN know. I love your intellectual insight on this compelling idea and how you articulate your thoughts seriously, but with humor. And when you stated, "I'm smart enough to be self-aware," I only wish that everyone was aware of this somewhat difficult to grasp concept. ~Lovely work of art, Kristin!
ReplyDeleteKristen, I loved your post. I loved how you took us on a journey of your life using a satirist tone through the use of parentheses and the humor you displayed throughout the whole article. I also liked how in the beginning (or when you were young) you thought you knew everything in the world and at the end you stated that fact that you don’t want to know everything in the world. It marks your maturity and realization you gained through life. Great post and cannot wait to read more!!!! :)
ReplyDeletehehehe I love Hey Arnold I watched it to in my childhood, amazing show:D I love how you state the qoute to bring back your nostalgic event. Its amazing to hear that during childhood everything is happy and dandy but as we grow up we do began to think for ourselves. Very interesting topic I loved it and I love your profile picture :D
ReplyDeleteVery well typed and is elaborated well. I agree on your points but raise you this is imagination (new or old) the end all be all of knowledge or is social conversations and the ability to experiment the source of knowledge.
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