August 29, 2024

I like that people are sharing what they know

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There’s a term philosophers use called epistemic goods.

Benefits or valuables that relate to the advancement of cognitive goals.

I like that. The idea that you’re contributing to the collective pool of knowledge in your community, that personally motivates me to want to share.

Not only the information, but also the understanding. Helping people grasp the underlying principles. Extracting the critical thinking, problem solving and creative approaches behind the experience. That way, people can start apply those insights to their own projects, regardless of the context.

It’s funny, there are hundreds of thousands of hours of video uploaded to the internet on a daily basis. Now, the majority of that content is entertainment, practical jokes, and porn.

But a good portion of the other content revolves around knowledge sharing. Youtube alone has three million videos being uploaded every day, with an average length of four a half minutes a piece. From academic subjects to practical skills, creative arts, and personal development, there’s no shortage of elixir.

And that’s a good thing. I like that people are sharing what they know. I think it’s good for mankind.

Now, I don’t always agree with what they say. Clearly the quality of people’s content is not always beneficial or accurate. And sadly, the presence of commercial or institutional interests might mean the material is biased at best and malevolent at worst.

I should state that not all shared content qualifies as an epistemic good. If you’re promoting violence or spreading falsehoods, it doesn’t count.

ut if you’re sharing your knowledge to promote intellectual growth and increase wellbeing, then by all means, hit record. Because even if not a single soul on planet earth watches your piece of shit video, the satisfaction you got from sharing your knowledge with the positive intent to help others, is a meaningful activity.

Trying to increase the net flourishing of vitality in the world is a healthy practice. It’s a gift to ourselves, first and foremost, because of the meaning it creates in our lives. And, if we’re fortunate enough to have an audience, then a gift to the world as well.

Sure, the internet may have become a propaganda dumpster fire and a cesspool of fascist censorship, but no innovation is perfect.

I view technology as a springboard to a deeper form of generosity that ultimately elevates humanity in away nothing else can. Hey, if something gets us in the habit of sharing epistemic goods, then it’s a worthwhile endeavor.

What knowledge did you share today?