My favorite writer, Sanmao, from Taiwan, once shared a story about a boy in the Western Sahara Desert, where most people are illiterate. The boy had a strong desire to learn how to read, and Sanmao taught him basic knowledge. However, in the end, he didn’t acquire much knowledge, and Sanmao remarked that it was fortunate because knowing too much would bring unhappiness and even pain. As a teenager, I didn’t fully grasp the meaning behind Sanmao’s words.

Twenty years later, while attending college in the United States, I gained a wealth of knowledge that I hadn’t acquired during my education in China. However, the more I learned, the more concerned and pessimistic I became about the state of the world and humanity. Particularly when I discovered environmental damage, climate change, population growth, wars, and historical falsehoods, I felt disheartened. I wondered why knowledge often leads people to worry and pessimism, and how one can overcome this negative realization.

In this topic, I aim to explore the nature of knowledge, how individuals acquire knowledge, and ways to overcome worries and pessimism associated with it. I will compare my educational experiences in China and the United States, the subjects I studied, and the perspectives I gained as a young person and later in life. During my youth, I focused solely on memorizing information to achieve high scores, enabling me to gain admission to a better school or secure promotions. Knowledge served as a means to improve my life. However, now I contemplate the significance of what I have learned and seek to connect that knowledge to my community, country, and the world as a whole. I have decided to find answers through research that will provide comfort and broaden my understanding of knowledge and the development of the world and humanity.

By sharing my insights, I hope to offer assistance to anyone who shares the same sense of confusion. My goal is to provide guidance and help individuals find solace in their quest for understanding.