Why Humans Love Hard Knowledge but Fear Self-Knowledge

The thing about our World is that it is so outwardly interesting. I mean, how lucky are we to have history at our fingertips and the future to create? The thing about human nature is that we are so inquisitively inclined to gain more knowledge all in the name for the traction of our Linkedin resume and or recognition. We’re eager to learn a new language, to get a Masters degree, to take a hard internship. However, the topic of getting to know thyself does not get that recognition… and instead dismissal. We’ll all endure hard knowledge to stretch our minds about the World around us - but we are unlikely to take that same approach towards the inward cycle of truly getting to know ourselves. Why is that?

I would like to appoint this thought to the topic of instant gratification. Self knowledge isn’t fundamentally trackable per se in the lens of social media. Thanks to social media, we all have this online presence for those to see; and for ourselves to gain back feedback. Whether that be on Linkedin, TikTok, Instagram, etc. It is this consistent feedback loop of posting accomplishments, highlight reels, and aesthetic media for us to gain a hit of analytical feedback. It’s trackable, it’s a system, and in return it is gratification.

However, self knowledge is always going to be an inward spiral. It’s trackable, yes. But, not in the glorified way that social media satisfies us with analytics. Not everyone is going to be posting their journal dumps all over social media, their updates of pattern recognition with their therapist on Linkedin, or their tabbed quotes in their self help book on TikTok. I think that’s why self-knowledge can be so hard and daunting for so many people to approach and fully attune to.

I have found myself recently choosing to do extra organic chemistry problems rather than pulling out and writing in my journal. Not because I don’t have the time to or that I am exhausted - it’s just that the thought of unraveling my emotions and thoughts without a fundamental correct answer… can be hard. At least with my Ochem homework, I can get instant gratification and can see my progress when answering a problem correctly. With my journal? It’s just tangled thoughts unraveled on paper yet still not fully answered. There’s no green check mark or confetti appearing when I submit it.

Though, I do believe that self knowledge is so incredibly important (especially in the age of social media and influence) - it can be daunting. A self help book is not a one size fits all, nor can you truly buy a course to receive a “congratulations” certificate after fulfilling the requirements of knowing thy self. It will aways be a unique path. And gratification? True self fulfillment? That only equates to the time spent of the self mastery of self discovery.

All my love,

Brejette Nepa