Why The Quest For Knowledge Often Leads To Madness

And how to avoid that pitfall

We Can Become Addicted To Empty Facts

As seekers of truth, we crave to learn. We love learning so much that we can read or listen to lectures all day. If we’re not careful, the pleasure of the “aha!” moment becomes an idol which we unknowingly train ourselves to serve.

Truth is not a verbal set of facts to be repeated. Those are just words. Truth is the whole living experience of reality. If we are addicted to ideology, we lose our life in distractions.

To protect against this pitfall: always relate your knowledge back to yourself and your actions. Ask: how is this information useful? In light of this information, how will I actually change my life?

New Knowledge Shatters Old Realities

As creatures of comfort, learning new things can disturb us. When you learn something, it’s like stepping from one reality into a new one. If it’s a small change, it’s not so jarring, and we move on after a brief moment of surprise.

But if it’s a huge change — like discovering your church has been lying to you for your whole life — then we’re cast into a spiritual desert with no clear direction. Knowledge can make us feel lost…