Museletter
- April 2005
My
Muse
I want to
write about a
subject I know a
lot about this
month.
Ignorance.
I've got loads
of it! It
seems to me that
ignorance gets a
very bad press,
and nobody wants
to be its
friend. I
remember a ditty
from my
childhood which
went: If you
don't know what
ignorance is,
you're ignorant!
Our society puts
great value on
knowledge, and
being ignorant
is seen as
'bad'. I
do believe that
knowledge is a
fine thing, but
it seems to me
that we have put
such an emphasis
on it that we
are often
frightened of
looking like we
don't know
something.
I remember when
I was in the
music
merchandising
business, and
there was this
culture with
regard to the
latest bands.
If you hadn't
seen or even
heard of the
latest obscure 'indi'
band you were,
like, just, so
uncool, man!
And I see
this kind of
attitude in many
environments I
encounter.
People who speak
in jargon, to
confirm how much
they know. We
want to 'fit in'
and to do that
we must know the
'right' stuff.
The big problem
with this is
when we try to
cover up and
areas of
ignorance,
because we don't
want to lose
face or look
foolish.
That's when we
deny the truth
(our ignorance)
and try to cover
up our perceived
weakness.
Often I find
that people do
in fact have the
knowledge, but
they are so
frightened of
looking stupid
that they don't
give themselves
the opportunity
to discover more
information,
they go straight
into
'protection'
mode. They
stop listening
and either panic
or try to come
up with
strategies to
avoid looking
bad.
It seems to
me that
ignorance is our
natural state.
It's certainly
how we came into
this world.
But because
there is just so
much knowledge
out there and
it's growing
faster and
faster, the
amount we know
is tiny and
getting smaller.
So let's embrace
reality, stop
worrying what
other people
think, and deal
with the
situation that's
in front of us.
It's a far
better use of
our time and
effort. At
least then you
may have the
opportunity of
asking a
question in
order to gain
any knowledge
you don't have.
Better than
stressing about
someone else's
opinion.
I believe
that the quality
of our lives is
in direct
relation to the
quality of our
questions.
So use your
knowledge and
ignorance
combined to
asking some
great questions!
Book
Recommendation
Powerful
Sleep by
Kacper Postawski
I have had a
fair amount of
feedback
regarding this
e-book, and I
would like to
mention a couple
of points.
Firstly, I only
recommend books
that I have read
and feel would
be of interest
or value to my
correspondents.
Secondly, some
of you have felt
put off by the
marketing
methods employed
by the author.
I would agree
that it's quite
'American' and
some could say
'hard sell'.
What's
interesting is
our response to
it. Many
of us in the UK
tend to feel
that if they use
those tactics,
that the product
can't be any
good.
However, in the
States, if you
don't use very
strong sales
techniques,
people feel the
opposite, that
if you're not
prepared to
shout how good
it is, then the
product isn't
any good!
That's just the
result of our
different
cultures.
What I can
assure you is
that I have used
the system,
because I wanted
to have more
energy and more
time to get
things done.
So I wasn't put
off by the 'in
your face'
marketing.
I am happy to
report that I
have had success
with it,
reducing my
sleeping time,
and more
importantly,
increasing my
energy, and
getting more
done.
Should you
want to read the
first two
chapter's free,
click on the
link below and
read them before
making up your
mind.
After all, what
do you have to
gain? What
could you do
with seven more
hours per week?
http://www.powerfulsleep.com/aff/cmd.php?af=189217
Opportunity
to Contribute
There is a
great website
that trades
clicks (cost to
you zero) for
mammograms.
You can click
every day, and
the site
sponsors will
donate money for
mammograms for
women in need.
Why not add it
to your
favourites and
click every day.
http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/CTDSites
