Knowledge makes us Unhappy. Good

The phrase, “Knowledge is power” is a phrase that is commonly used in all institutions of life, and is one that’s value is often misunderstood. The quote is true, knowing things does allow us to make more informed decisions that will positively impact our life, and that could very easily be considered a form of power. However, this quote seems to always be used to drive home the belief that having knowledge is an objectively good thing, and the negative aspects of having knowledge are never considered. Knowledge has undoubtedly been what’s allowed humanity to push forward and survive for millions of years, but these triumphs have made us largely uninterested what negative aspects knowledge may have on the individual who possesses it. Sure, phrases like “Ignorance is bliss” and the infamous troubled genius stereotype do explore how possessing knowledge can be a bad thing, but they fail to establish a direct link between having knowledge and being unhappy.

Sarah Lindberg in her article titled, “Is Watching the News bad for Mental Health” examines the relationship between news consumption and mental health. She explains how the emotional impact of consuming negative news can lead to heightened feelings on depression and anxiety. The fact that consuming a lot of news is bad for our mental health is a well-documented and unsurprising fact at this point, but how does it relate to negative effects of possessing knowledge? When we watch the news, we are gaining knowledge on current events, and that knowledge makes us think about what we can do about it. For example, if someone watches a story on a mass shooting, that knowledge could make them want to go to a protest, or fundraise for a politician who promises to implement a solution to the issue. In other words, the knowledge they gained from watching the news gave them the power to make a change, which is great for society as a whole. But how does that effect the person on a personal level? Not only were they subjected to the horrors of the original news story, but now they are spending their time thinking about a morbid subject. It would be a lot easier for this person to have never saw the news story in the first place.

One argument against the idea that knowledge causes unhappiness could be that the knowledge isn’t whats causing the unhappiness, but the actions we take as a result of the knowledge is. Knowledge in itself though can absolutely be what causes unhappiness. For example if someone has cancer, getting a diagnosis from a doctor is the best thing for their physical health because now they can start treating the cancer and getting better. This isn’t how cancer patients tend to view the diagnosis though. According to information published by the ADAA, “After diagnosis, 40 percent of cancer patients report developing significant distress that can include serious worry, panic attacks, depression, and PTSD, or posttraumatic stress disorder.” What’s key to focus on here is that these symptoms are occurring after the initial diagnosis, not after the extensive treatment of the patient that would undoubtedly negative impact their mental health as well. The knowledge of having an awful, life threatening disease, despite that knowledge being the best thing for them, causes the patients to become more unhappy. And this reaction is completely understandable, but it also proves how knowledge can be negative.

While the previously mentioned examples are certainly extreme examples, we can even see examples of knowledge creating a sense of disappointment in our daily lives. Many people use honey as a way to sweeten whatever they are consuming, thinking that its a healthier alternative to sugar. In reality, consuming honey is pretty much the exact same as consuming sugar, with the only difference being that honey is sweeter, so you’ll use less of it. The people who have been slathering their pastries and beverages in honey would probably be pretty upset to learnt that they’ve essentially been consuming pure sugar for years. Once again, its pretty safe to assume that they’d rather not learned this fact at all. After all, they want whatever they’re eating or drinking to be sweet enough. Similarly, those who take melatonin before bed would probably be upset to hear that daily intake of the supplement actually damages their quality of sleep in the long run. In both of these cases, the person would be able to make an informed decision about how they want to change the way that they are living, and this is a good thing! But despite this, the immediate psychological effects that this knowledge gives us tend to be negative most of the time.

So knowledge makes us unhappy. Does this mean that we should abandon all forms of knowledge in pursuit of a happier wellbeing? Not at all. Even if knowledge makes us unhappy, the insight into whatever we are learning about allows us to make more informed, and therefore better, decisions about our lives. The discomfort we may experience from learning a fact may make us unhappy in the short term, but we live our lives for the long term. We can even see this play out in the examples above. By watching the news, we know what’s happening in the world we live in, and that is extremely important! Hearing about atrocities happening around the globe is never easy, and we all may wish that we had never known at all. But with the knowledge of these current events, we can work towards preventing similar ones in the future. A cancer diagnosis is one of the scariest things that a person can hear in their entire lives as it causes a wave of dread to pulse through their mind. But for someone who does have cancer, a diagnosis is the best thing they could possibly hear because it will start their treatment, and increase their chances of surviving. We often envy those who we feel are blissfully unaware of what’s happening in the world, but don’t be fooled. Life always has examples of give and take, and when we give away our immediate satisfaction, we take the ability to improve our lives in the long run.

Refrences

“Is Watching the News Bad for Mental Health?” Verywell Mind, https://www.verywellmind.com/is-watching-the-news-bad-for-mental-health-4802320. Accessed 5 Nov. 2023.

Serious, Chronic, or Terminal Illnesses – Tips for Patients and Caregivers | Anxiety and Depression Association of America, ADAA. https://adaa.org/serious-chronic-or-terminal-illnesses#:~:text=People%20who%20have%20serious%2C%20chronic,for%20experiencing%20anxiety%20and%20depression. Accessed 5 Nov. 2023.