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INSIGHTS2 MIN READ

The Socratic Paradox

PastorTae

Published on March 10, 2015

Published on Wealthy Affiliate — a platform for building real online businesses with modern training and AI.


The Socratic Paradox : “I know that I know nothing”

This is the well known saying that Plato attributes to the Greek philosopher Socrates. It’s a law of the universe that the more you learn about something the more you realize that you know nothing at all.

This has been proven over and over again in my life. The more I learned how to play the guitar, the more I realized that I don’t know that much about guitar. And in horticulture as well, the more I learned about the land, trees, bushes, and flowers the more I become overwhelmed by my ignorance.

This is true wisdom: to learn something and realize that you really don’t know that much about the subject.

Only the ignorant believe that they have mastered a subject and so they rest on their limited knowledge. Ignorance is bliss.

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But as I enter my fifth month at WA, I have heard my share of compliments and kind words about my accomplishments, knowledge and my rank. But the truth is that I am overwhelmed by how little I know about all this.

So, I have 9 websites. And for each one, I went through the WA training to make sure I understood what I was doing. And each time, I am surprised by how much I learned again. And each time, I find only my ignorance.

This isn't self deprecation. This is self awareness.

Honestly, I enter this fifth month with a sober mind and heart about how much I still need to understand things like SEO, Keywords, Optins, and Traffic. Sure, I know the basics and have applied them. But there is this feeling that I don’t understand.

And the reason why I feel this way is because I only know the basics. I haven’t reached a deeper level of understanding where I can more effectively apply this training in a way that makes me successful. But I suspect that when I get there, I will realize all over again that I don’t understand.

Why?

It’s Socrates looking over my shoulder.

Pastor Tae



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