A sad day indeed

I was once asked what I thought of the Paris Hilton situation. This was when she released her sex tape and would eventually gain world wide notoriety. This was also when I had no idea who she was. 'So what do you think of the whole Paris Hilton issue?' a friend casually asked. My mind panicked. My mouth dried out. Do I admit the fallacy that I have no idea what the issue was about? Or do I lie? I decided against my better judgment and lied. 'Oh yes. Terrible. Terrible the whole Paris Hilton situation.' I said and quickly changed the subject.

When I reached home, I logged on to the net immediately to read on what had happen to the Hilton Hotel in Paris. Yes. I honestly believed the whole ho-ha involves the actual Hilton establishment. Was there a fire? Was it robbed? Were important dignitaries involved? It was only after much searching, did I finally realize that there was such a person called Paris Hilton, and what she had done. Now I see her everywhere.

I define myself as a person of knowledge - I know what I know , I know what I do not know and I know what I need to know. However what keeps me unsettled, the stuff that keeps me awake at night is that I do not know what I do not know - like Paris Hilton. Was my life adversely different from now, when I did not know the famed heiress? It's strange when you begin to learn something new, it begins to appear everywhere. Things you have never seen, is suddenly seen all over. Was it always there, only to be noticed when you actually realized its existence?

Knowing is the eternal quest of man. We are, however you put it, defined by the knowledge we possess. With the internet and the free access to knowledge, it seems unlikely that anyone of at least acceptable intelligence to be ignorant of world affairs. Unfortunately, this assumption, is presumptuous at best.

Together with crocs and birkenstocks, ignorance shall be the downfall of civilized society. I was speaking with a few young designers (fresh out of school, awaiting NS and job placement), and seek their opinion in regards to the recent issue of The Armenian Genocide Vote by the American House of Congress. 'What Armenian Genocide?' one of the bright eyed designer responded. 'They are some kind of race right?' another designer claimed. 'There is another racial genocide going on?' one other said, continued with a sigh of surrender. I was stunned. I am not talking to a bunch of low IQ special students here, but intelligent students who actually manage to get into design schools (singapore design schools are notoriously hard to get into). 'How can you not know about the Armenian Genocide?' I questioned, my voice more disappointed than angry.

'Oh we don't bother to keep up with the news. It has nothing to do with design,' a voice from amongst them casually claimed. I was bothered by this response. Not only are these young designers ignorant, but they are no longer ashamed of being ignorant. They even have the audacity to excuse their ignorance.

During the Chinese Revolution Era, thousand of books and scripts were burned. The chinese rulers equates these books and scripts as knowledge and understands that knowledge is power. Now we live in a time when knowledge is free. There is no reason not to empower yourself with it.

It will make you a more interesting person, no matter your current standing, at least.