Is The Pursuit Of Knowledge Worth It?

Is the pursuit of knowledge worth it if it brings little to no pleasure? Also, does meaning having any value to it or is it just the pleasure one gets when they feel when they do something they believe to have meaning?

 

If knowledge brings you no pleasure, it is time change your knowledge based endeavors into researching something that you enjoy.

Meaning has value if the intended value appeases your knowledgeable interest. Otherwise it is redundant. If I read 50 Shades of Grey/Gray, I will not get any meaning from that book but if I had read something on the Ancient Symbology of the Egyptians, then I will find meaning and pleasure.

Pleasure of Meaning based on actions you per sieve to have meaning, is false meaning and pleasure. Example of the person who donates their time each weekend or day off, to volunteer at the local refuge; does this to 'have meaning or purpose' because they were lead to believe that; walks away at the end of the day still hungrily empty.

 

It is NOT knowledge we should seek but WISDOM.
KNOWLEDGE is accumulation of teachings,
WISDOM is knowing how to read between the lines of life.

 

I find the pursuit of knowledge 'hedonistic', eapecially when the subject is something I have an insatiable curiosity about and desire to gain a deep understanding of the subject.

 

If you think knowledge sucks, just try ignorance.

 

+1

 

You need basic knowledge to function in the society that you live. That knowledge is worthwhile, but you can ask anybody an opinion on any subject and they will have one, They think they know everything, but all these people are confused their lives are in a mess full of conflict and turmoil. Only a stupid person would read a book on how to swim, much more intelligent to go jump in the water and start paddling. You cannot learn about life through reading so called holy books or any other sort of book. If you want to find meaning in your life then leave your comfort zone behind, face your fears, face your psychological and emotional limitations.

 

Wisdom does not come from between the lines. Wisdom is developed by confronting and transforming your fears, your psychological and emotional limitations.

 

Yes.

 

Ignorance is only bliss for the ignorant, for the rest of us it is a giant pain in the ass

 

To me the pursuit of knowledge is the only that that's truly worth it. I want to gain a deep understanding of the subjects that interest me, and the world in general. Our lives are only so long. I don't consider myself hedonistic, but I do enjoy the pursuit of knowledge. But just pure pleasure that does nothing to improve my understanding of things seem pointless to me and a waste of time and these seem to be the kinds of things a lot of people are most interested in.

 

Knowledge is highly overrated. I've known many knowledgeable people who live dull and boring lives because they are too afraid to take chances in life. Their knowledge works against them not for them. What's the point in being knowledgeable if you don't know how to use it properly? What's the point in having knowledge if you're still imprisoned by your own fears? Or If your boss has more control over your life than you? You become a knowledgeable robot who is programmed to be and think a certain way. I'll take awareness over knowledge any day.

 

The thing about ignorance is that most people who are ignorant think they're knowledgeable. Going through life completely unaware of their own ignorance.

 

It's the meaning of life to me. But it would be more accurate to say understanding knowledge. Knowledge on its own is one thing, true understanding of principles is another. And to me that's the meaning of life.

 

Do you need to understand or even interpret the meaning of life to live life to the fullest?

No I've said "yes" a few posts up the page. Dunno what I was agreeing with because my mind at the moment says, shit, you can have the most knowledge in the world and you know what? You're in no better shape for it either. You're still going to die. You still might die earlier than someone with no shred of interest in learning.

 

Without understanding, life truly is pointless. Blaise Pascal died in his 30's but he's basically immortal because of his contributions to mathematics, fluid dynamics, and physics. The world would not be what it is today without him. But people who think the meaning of life is just, eat, sleep, fuck, repeat ... they might as well die sooner than earlier because that is what lower less evolved animals do, and we need to get rid of that so that we can evolve further.

The point of life is to gain as deep of an understanding as is possible before you die. I'd rather die with a head full of knowledge early, than die old not knowing much more than I did when I was born. I'm not one of the lower
animals.

edit: and ideally people should spread the seeds of their understanding so that knowledge can be passed down. That is the only way the species can progress intellectually.

 

No, you are not a lower animal, IRQ....You are a a member of the intelligentsia.....We have already established that.....

intelligentsia, the intellectual superstars of society.

Maybe you will be the pioneer or leader someday in your chosen field....with immortality to follow, too....I believe in you.

 

If no one had ever pursued knowledge we'd all be sitting in caves right now, staring at rocks. That doesn't sound pleasurable to me.

 

I just worry that my lack of ability to ever get enough sleep will eventually put the breaks on my intellect. Tesla, and many other geniuses rarely slept as well though. It seems to be correlated to high intelligence, but the brain does need sleep sooner or later..

 

I don't agree IRQ, about life being pointless without an understanding. To me, seems the quest for understanding only brings upon doubts and a never ending quest to obtain those answers. I don't think I could find that too enjoyable.

As for the immortality, I'd never heard of the bloke, just saying.

And immortality from a written name is just not the right immortality. People say that Alexander the Great truly did become immortal because everyone knows his name throughout history books. I don't think that was the immortalizarion he was truly seeking.

Knowledge.. It all reminds me of the Anne Rice vampire chronicles tbh. And those vampires were here since the dawn of times and they still don't know any answers.