Knowledge in the wrong hands

Knowledge is power. Without doubt this is true but is knowledge good for us as a society.

Can too much knowledge damage that fragile fabric of stability which we weave around ourselves by not knowing everything !!

Take virtually any issue. We are largely in the dark about the in's and out's, the details, the down side. If we knew of the statistical dangers in any action we undertake, from driving a car into London or undertaking a hike in the Lakes would we leave the security of the couch. Would we pack our ski's away because of what happened to Michael Schumacher or stop swimming in the sea because of Jaws. Each event has a statistical downside just as we now learn, does drinking a cup of coffee from Starbucks.

Our bodies are the greatest centre of interest not only to us but to the industries which benefit from selling us stuff. The fashion industry is concerned with our size. The antacid paddlers are concerned with what we eat. From shoes to protect our feet to balm to protect our skin we are assailed by facts and figures, trends and advice which seems to change with the need to revitalise our flagging concern. 

Manufacturing concern is the name of the game. Religion is a past master at prodding us to become, worried and then, like the snake oil salesmen, sell us redemption. 

Our knowledge of the human body and its complexity has come on in leaps and bounds over the last hundred years and with it the pills and medicines to make us better. Along with medicine, an industry has grown which purports to have the answers to our lifestyle including, fitness and what we put in our mouths as a way to extend our lives by a year or two.

As I stood in front of the fridge this morning contemplating the last two sausages, half a packet of bacon only three eggs and no bread, I wondered why I hadn't stayed in bed. Here I was, still  half hour on the cycle machine and all those smoothies to drink before evening. That vegetable stew looks less appetising than when I cooked it a couple of days ago.

Do we deserve to flagellate ourselves with the good intentions of the knowledgable  people who constantly remind us of the harm our past habits cause us. 

The food we ate and gave up because we were told it was bad for us, is now back in favour. 

The food we were told was essential is now bad for us !

The stress (a more insidious killer) we have laid on ourselves with the discovery and later rejection of knowledge, makes us realise how knowledge, in the wrong hands, is dangerous !!