Knowledge without responsible application is still ignorance.

Knowledge is a term we invented to define our understanding of the way it is. It serves as a measure of our progress from ignorance toward the infinite.

Having knowledge about the world does NOT mean we are educated. It also doesn’t imply wisdom. Albert Einstein pointed out that “any fool can know. The point is to understand.” But even understanding the world may not deliver us the desired fulfillment, unless we’re consistently applying knowledge for a meaningful or greater benefit. After all, what’s the use of owning fantastic tools, unless we employ them to produce something of benefit?

Standard school education gives much emphasis to information gathering, to knowing. But less, or not enough, attention is given to actually understanding the meaning and the capacity of that which we know, and how and why knowledge must be responsibly applied. Furthermore, in most modern societies intellect is glorified as all-important, while emotional growth is largely ignored.

As a result we have people in positions of power and great influence, including highly educated academics, politicians or dominant figures in our societies, who exhibit traits of emotional immaturity, irresponsible behavior and general weakness of character.

So, when does knowledge become truly valuable or meaningful, in its greatest sense?

Before knowledge can become valuable and/or meaningful, it must be first, understood, and second, it must be beneficially applied. If we define “responsible application” as the essential component of knowledge, then we will see that many of our leaders are not, in fact, knowledgeable, but ignorant. They may know a great deal, and be very experienced, but what value can they deliver to the society if they are failing to consistently and responsibly to apply what they know for a meaningful or greater benefit?

This should be our understanding of knowledge for the 21st century and the beyond:

To be knowledge-able, it means to be able to manage knowledge responsibly. We must apply what we know for a meaningful or greater benefit. If we’re not fulfilling this duty, then technically speaking our knowledge qualifies as ignorance.

To summarize: We must urgently redefine our understanding of knowledge. In places of influence and power we need wise and knowledge-able individuals, not merely people with information or experience. It’s not enough to possess knowledge of data; we must grasp the value and purpose of what we know, and consistently take morally responsible action. Such action must benefit humanity as a whole, and be considerate toward other beings and the planet. These are the fundamental principles of responsible co-creation, the new stage in human awakening.