This is my contribution to this month's new virtual symposium/the new virtual symposium's mid-month challenge on 'Paradox' - see NVS18 July 2026.
I have found that the more I know the more I don't know about what is known. As Mark Twain quipped, "It's better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid than open it and remove all doubt."
In addition to this paradox of knowledge, this blog post is also a paradox. My post, including title, comes in at a very non-wordy total of 132 words.
For those who want to join the New Virtual Symposium group, please click The New Virtual Symposium. And for those who want to suggest a topic for a future virtual symposium, please post your suggestion or suggestions on The New Virtual Symposium's Got a Suggestion? group post.
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12 comments
Ha, that Rumsfield quote is great. It seems that acknowledging we don't know everything is the opposite of the Dunning-Kruger effect.
The Dunning-Kruger effect seems to affect those with little knowledge.
Knowledge can be fun if you mix it with humor.
Knowledge with humour is always a good mix.
The older I get, the less I understand about humans and their behavior.
I know science. But as a species we are bat crap crazy, LOL.
We are probably the most stupid species living on the planet!
Another great tribute to NVS my friend, Donald Rumsfeld was a very smart man. Sometimes not knowing things can be a very good thing too..
I hope your Friday continues to treat you well my friend..
I'm always happy to admit I don't know things. Ignorance is bliss sometimes.
The paradox of knowing you don't know ... good idea. And one that doesn't need a ton of verbiage to express.
Though a short post from a wordy man is not paradoxical, just unusual. (smile)
It often flummoxed students when I said I didn't know the answer to a question.
Socrates's words have lasting value, while the gentleman below's is surely the result of having inhaled too much "flour" that day... and I wonder, does talking nonsense have anything to do with having a duck's name? Twain's saying, in its Spanish version, is "Shut up! You look better when you're quiet"
Donald Rumsfeld's word do have a certain logic.
@spunkycumfun But they're unnecessarily complicated
@AuraAviatik6 Philosophers, which Donald Rumsfeld is not, quite like complicated!
@spunkycumfun hello mate have direct message im in a trouble here and I need your opinion
@Revingheart70 I've replied.
First of all Rumsfeld is a war criminal and should be in jail for his crimes. Second he is a typical washington politician who likes to listen to his own voice when nobody else really does. What he was really saying, me and my cia mossad friends know some things but about most things we don't have a clue
@ulk3fk Me posting his quote wasn't me defending Donald Rumsfeld. I just found his quote philosophically interesting.
@spunkycumfun well i dont. Socrates was a philosopher. These fucking western politicians should listen to him then maybe they would be more humble and not fucking up everything all the time. I am fucking tired of it, since 40 years they are pretending to have all the right answers insted it turns out they are clueless.
@ulk3fk That's fine you don't find Rumsfeld's quote interesting. I do.
You seem to be on a roll and I seem to be in your way.
Who are these Western politicians you're attacking? I haven't got a clue.
@spunkycumfun Seems like it's all gone a bit oil and water. The great chain smoking foundation of the Bolivian economy James Hunt once said that the closer you get to death the more alive it makes you feel. I don't much deeper than that.
@Revingheart70 James Hunt's words aren't persuading me to die soon!
@spunkycumfun I did get close in a V8 Ariel Atom at Snetterton once that accelerated so quickly it almost rendered you unconscious. That quote carried more relevance in 70s F1 when they expected four or five drivers to be killed every season.
OMG, a not-so-wordy post from you IS a paradox for sure, though I'm wondering if we also ought to count the words in the memes.
Words in an image don't count!