Acquiring Information, Knowledge & Wisdom

In today's well connected world, technology may have increased our level and ease of connectivity with people but has it also increased our depth of interaction and real communication with personal touch? Similarly, we can get information about almost anything, anywhere and anytime by just pressing a few buttons on our smart phones, tablets and/ or computers. Ironically, there are still reports and feedback that our new and young generations are slowly degenerating into a bunch passive individuals or worse still, unthinking passive lot. What has happened? And why has it happened?

With advancing and fast changing technology, new gadgets that kept appearing in the market, as well as easy online search and access, it is inevitable that we may get a sense of “false" good feeling that we can learn new things, check out information or have the power to find out everything under the sun at a simple touch of our fingertips. This perceived power of being able to obtain information has slowed down the need to acquire more and/ or retain information, but created a superficial understanding of a topic and believing of information without verification. 

With almost everyone capable of writing and posting information onto the web or social media for sharing, there is so much information that are “pushed” to us that we are facing a problem of information overload. This makes it difficult for one to sieve out the truths. Given our fast pace society, we get impatient when information is slow. It is also easier for one to accept and choose to believe in information that comes across closer to one’s beliefs as truths, rather than spending the time and effort on more research. Humans tend to have a herd mentality hence, even the untruths, when spread by many, may become the “truths".

To ensure healthy progression and growth of our new and young generations, it is crucial to first understand the difference between Information, Knowledge & Wisdom. 

From there, it is also important that parents and educators pass down the right information, teachings and beliefs. So, what exactly is Information, Knowledge & Wisdom, and what comes first? 

The first level that comes first should be Information - knowledge obtained about someone or something : facts or details about a subject. This is followed by Knowledge - facts, information, and skills acquired by a person through experience or education; the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject. Lastly comes Wisdom - the quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment; the quality of being wise.

In conclusion, checking for accuracy and verification of data to acquire the right Information takes time and effort. This, is Knowledge gained by those who go down this path. It is with great knowledge that comes with Wisdom.