Ask questions.
2017-03-12 4 min. read
Why do we ask questions? What is it that propels people to the ends of the earth, both literally and figuratively, just to find an answer?
I am ardent about learning and fervent for finding answers.
Alexis Zorba: Why do the young die? Why does anybody die?
Basil: I don’t know.
Alexis Zorba: What’s the use of all your damn books if they can’t answer that?
Basil: They tell me about the agony of men who can’t answer questions like yours.
Alexis Zorba: I spit on this agony!
When we showed up on this planet I believe that we were all given a flashlight. We can point it at whatever is around us.
Sometimes the light will illuminate the darkness. Sometimes we’ll have to take a step closer to get a better view. Or it could be that we just need to look at the darkness from a different angle. On occasion, the darkness dissipates and we find what we are looking for. In other cases, it remains dark. And what’s even more frustrating is that, “As the circle of light increases, so does the circumference of darkness around it.” But the thing is that there are those who don’t move their flashlight around. Heck, some will just leave it off. I don’t understand this. I could never live like that. I have to know. There are some answers that I relentlessly pursue and others that I’ll table for the time being. If the answer does not yield itself to me, I hanker after it with increased tenacity.
Why are some people okay with not knowing? Those who aren’t seekers are settlers. They settle for what they know. I don’t want to be a settler; I want to be a seeker. I want an answer to any question that comes to my mind. Any. And I will not hesitate to inquire of those whom I think may posses the answer.
Why do some people find comfort in mystery? I think that they are satisfied with surrendering to the fact that there may not be an answer so that they can be at ease and stop searching. I believe this to be a false position and a weak premise. In fact, I would go as far to say that if it were not for those of us who unflinchingly pursue answers, I would not be typing these words on my laptop right now with the ability to post them to an internet accessible blog. Karl Marx said that religion is the “opiate of the masses”. I say that mystery is the opiate of the ignorant. The lazy. The unmotivated. I think that we should never let mystery win. While I will admit that some answers are unattainable—beyond the limits of human reason—I would propose that we live as if all questions are, indeed, answerable.
What then? No matter how trivial or impossible they seem, never be afraid to ask questions. The seemingly difficult question may prove trivial, and the trivial may prove much more illusive. Seek knowledge. Pursue information. Never give into mystery.
Go forth and question. Be a 3-year-old all over again. Love the discovery. Stay curious.