I’VE been reflecting on a three-word phrase that’s brought agony to anyone who’s heard it. This phrase is largely taboo in Chinoy families, where you place your best foot forward for the public while keeping private disputes swept under the rug. It takes a lot of guts for a person to bring himself/herself to say this phrase, mainly because it shows a lot of vulnerability and transparency on their part, which also opens them up to whatever criticism others unload on them.
This phrase, of course, is “I don’t know.” (For all those thinking it was “I love you,” relax. Valentine’s Day has come and gone. Drama ra kaau mo.)
“I don’t know” is often the cause of discomfort—the degree of it depending on the question asked. “Where do we eat tonight?” will probably have less pressure attached to it as opposed to “What are your views on climate change?” This discomfort stems from the fact that we always want to have an answer for every question and “I don’t know” is a bald-faced way of telling people we are either ignorant about a certain subject or not enlightened on it. Our elders could probably be excused for this as information back then travelled either through word-of-mouth or printed media, but for us netizens—who have information at our fingertips at any time of the day (with WiFi, of course)—ignorance is tantamount to living under a rock.
However, ignorance doesn’t need to have such a negative tag attached to it. Try this exercise: Think of a question you don’t have the answer to and say “I don’t know” out loud. Did the earth quake? Did the world end? Did you lose 10 years off your lifespan? Unless you said it while channeling Son Goku’s Ultra Instinct, chances are nothing happened. It can be liberating in a way to acknowledge your overall ignorance of things. After all, no matter how much you know, there will always be experts at every level who know more. And the mere idea that you can continue to acquire knowledge and improve should light a fire in you that makes you excited to wake up the next morning.
Which is why we need to define what kind of ignorance is okay. Unintended Ignorance is okay—it means you didn’t know but will actively try to increase your understanding about a subject matter. Willful Ignorance is not okay—it means you actively try not to increase your understanding because of whatever reasons you have. It’s akin to looking at a mirror, deciding you need a shave/bath/haircut, and walking away without doing a thing.
The bottom line is that we shouldn’t pressure ourselves to be omniscient while—at the same time—we should be responsible so that we don’t become outdated. Remember to embrace your ignorance and “I don’t knows.” These are often the beginning steps taken toward the doors of wisdom and understanding.