In this competitive culture, there's an expression that has acquired a particular meaning. Since we live in an environment run by notions like "winners" and "losers," most people avoid using it because of its association with the losing group.
However, in my experience, this expression brings the opposite result. I learned that, far from placing me in the loser team, it makes me feel better and helps me overcome my shortcomings.
The expression is "I don't know."
As an academic, it's assumed that I may know enough to make me conversant in a variety of topics... until I don't. Then my conversational skills collapse, I'm adrift… And I resort to the rhetorical life jacket of saying: "I don't know."
After my admission, the conversation turns into a kind lecture that educates me about the topic, and, in the process, my conversation partner gets an ego boost.
I admit that the first time I said "I don't know" was in class. I admitted my ignorance to avoid teaching something wrong. My students were initially surprised, but then they realized that their professor, who writes "PhD" after his name in his syllabus, isn't really all that smart.
And yet, I am smart enough to teach them.
Admitting my ignorance allowed others to teach me, and as a result I have been able to pass on that knowledge. Now I can brag that I know about the TV show Stranger Things and Hoka shoes.
I am Francisco Solares-Larrave, and this is my learned perspective.
