We Really Don’t Know As Much As We Think We Do

Slogan of a 1980s
Anti-Piracy Campaign After the Introduction of Cassettes

“All that hype for an MP3 player? Break-thru digital device? The Reality Distortion Field™ is starting to warp Steve’s mind if he thinks for one second that this thing is gonna take off.” - Anonymous Post to MacRumors Forums on the Announcement of the First iPod

We have long had the mistaken misfortune of thinking we know more than we actually do. History is filled with false predictions (and mis-predictions). The Internet has simply accelerated how fast we realize how little we know.

“This ‘telephone’ has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. The device is inherently of no value to us.” - Western Union internal memo, 1876

“Who the hell wants to hear actors talk?” - H. M. Warner, Warner Brothers, 1927

“There is not the slightest indication that nuclear energy will ever be obtainable. It would mean that the atom would have to be shattered at will.” - Albert Einstein, 1932

“I think there is a world market for maybe five computers.” - Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943

“We don’t like their sound, and guitar music is on the way out.” - Decca Recording Co. rejecting the Beatles, 1962.

When it comes to our spiritual journey projecting the ‘certain’ can be, many times, a form of spiritual pride. We get wrapped up, if we are not careful, in painting intricate strokes where broad strokes should appear - claiming that which we do not know as undeniable and proceeding to use those claims to compartmentalize, badger and judge those around us.

Is there certainty in faith? I believe there is. But much of what we pass off as certain tends to be whispers of the Spirit, meant for our ears and our path, not for our mouths to shout into the lives of others. There is a thin line between the things we hold to with a tight fist and those we are to hold loosely. Unfortunately, our hands all too often become stiff and cramp from holding steadfastly to the wrong things.

I believe that spiritual predictability is a trademark of previous generations. One of the benefits of the postmodern generation of today is that it is ‘walls-resistant’ - people simply don’t like to draw walls around ‘what is’ and ‘what isn’t.’ It may be a dangerous tendency - initially we will swing too far, as we always do (one way or another) - but the separation from our tendency to project that which we do not know will be a healthy one.

Posted 06.23.2009

Sorry. Commenting is no longer available for this post. In most cases, you may leave comments up to 30 days from the time a post is published.