A Little Knowledge is a Dangerous Thing
Knowledge is power but only if you have a COMPLETE knowledge. A little knowledge can be a dangerous thing. Read the following story to see how incomplete knowledge can lead to disastrous results.
Once upon a time, a group of travelers was moving through a desert. They stopped at an oasis to feed and rest their camels.
Among the group of the travelers was a man who had just recently joined them. He was sitting beneath a date tree when he heard some noises. With nothing else to do, he keenly looked at the scene before his eyes.
He saw a camel that had a serious case of goiter. The animal was writhing in pain. The man looked on with interest as the owner of the camel took a blanket and wrapped it around its neck. Then he took a hammer and hit it hard on the goiter. Immediately the swelling disappeared and the camel walked away.
The man observing this scene was astonished to see that goiter can be cured so easily. He was happy to know the secret of curing the terrible disease.
The group continued their journey and reached a small village. The man introduced himself as a physician and told the villagers that he can cure goiter. The villagers were happy to have a gifted doctor among themselves and brought an old woman for the treatment of goiter. Her throat was swollen and she was in a lot of pain.
The man asked for a blanket and a hammer. He wrapped the blanket around her neck and was about to strike her neck with the hammer when the camel owner carried out from the crowd, “Hold on a second! Can you tell me from where did you learn to cure goiter like this?”
The surprised man looked at the camel owner and replied, “I learned it from you! I saw you cure your camel. The treatment is so simple, I can cure anyone now! ”
The camel owner immediately moved the man away from the old woman and said, “Who told you I was treating my camel for goiter? Let me tell you what really happened! My camel was eating a melon and it got stuck in its throat. Melons are easy to break so I wrapped a blanket around the animal’s neck and hit it with the hammer. The melon broke and the camel swallowed it. I have never cured goiter in my life!”
The man who claimed to be a physician couldn’t believe his ears. If the camel owner has not stopped him, he would have hit the woman with all his might, surely killing her! He realized his mistake and profusely apologized to the villagers. The villagers forgave him when he promised to never act again without gaining complete knowledge.
The story reflects an important moral: never act when you are unsure. Abstain from acting on things you’ve seen or heard without knowing the complete back-story!
A Selection of Knowledge Quotes
“The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.” ~ Socrates
“The Seven Social Sins are:
Wealth without work.
Pleasure without conscience.
Knowledge without character.
Commerce without morality.
Science without humanity.
Worship without sacrifice.
Politics without principle.~ From a sermon given by Frederick Lewis Donaldson in Westminster Abbey, London, on March 20, 1925.”
“Any fool can know. The point is to understand.” ~ Albert Einstein
“I did then what I knew how to do. Now that I know better, I do better.” ~ Maya Angelou
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