Intelectual Disappointment

Last week I was discussing with some of my classmates about technophobia and how technology affects the life of people. I remember mentioning something relevant to the conversation, some incident that happened during the industrial revolution back in the 18th century, when some men feared that the machines would replace them, raging against factories and destroying everything across they’re path. The next thing you know we were talking about bees. Since I had to do a work on bees a few days before, I mentioned some interesting facts that I learned about their lifestyle… I don’t even remember exactly what I said at the time, but one of the guys asked me how did I know all of that? I answered that I found that info in the Encarta encyclopedia. That answer seemed to make an effect on him, like it was the last thing he expected to hear from me. After shaking his head for a few seconds, the guy said: -What? I am so disappointed in you! I respected you, but now… now I know you are nothing but a fraud! All the things you know… you’ve been reading them from other places all along... you damn cheater!- I was instantly astonished by such accusation, and not because it is true, but because that points to the fact that he tends to get his knowledge elsewhere. That situation really got me thinking: all the things that he know, where does he get them from? Observation, experience, what other people say, a higher level of spiritual consciousness…? I really don’t know, but I do know that however it is… I wish I could be more like him.