Does a lack of knowledge cause conflict?
Knowledge is power. Everything in our modern world was created through knowledge; without knowledge, humankind would never be able to advance. However, too much knowledge can be a heavy burden, and oftentimes, people who lack knowledge are often happier as a result. There are myriad examples supporting this prevalent in literature and in history.
In the novel Night by Elie Wiesel, knowledge, in the form of memories, is a huge burden on Elie. Elie is a teenaged boy, who is deported to Auschwitz by the Nazis during the Holocaust. There, Elie witnesses horrendous events which plague him for the rest of his life. He sees things such as babies being burned and sons turning against their own fathers in a desperate attempt to survive. These memories haunt Wiesel for the rest of his life, and he even stated that he “hoped to forget them.” As we can see, Elie’s knowledge in the form of memories is a heavy burden upon him.
Just as memories are a burden, scientific knowledge can also be a burden on a person’s mind and conscience. In World War II, Robert J. Oppenheimer was one of the leading scientists involved with the Manhattan Project. who created the atomic bomb. Oppenheimer as the creator, was aware f the pernicious effects the atom bomb could have if dropped. When the two bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, causing over two hundred thousand deaths, Oppenheimer felt deeply disturbed and fell into depression. Because he believed that his knowledge of the bomb was responsible for the deaths, Oppenheimer felt guilty and troubled. As a result, he later founded the National Nuclear Institution, an organization aimed at preventing nuclear use as weaponry. As we can see, Oppenheimer’s replete knowledge proved to be a heavy burden on his conscience; if he did not have to face the consequences caused by his knowledge he could have been much happier.
Finally, we can see how knowledge is a burden in Lois Lowry’s “The Giver.” The main character Jonas, is chosen to be the Receiver of Memories for his community. It is his duty to receive all the memories of the past from the Giver, so that the people of his community can live in peace. While Jonas enjoys the memories at first, he later receives memories of pain, hunger, and injustice. Jonas is forced to take the burden of these memories on his own, causing him great pain.
As we have seen in the Giver, World War II, and Night, too much knowledge is a deep burden.
I was running out of time at the end to write a proper conclusion. I was kind of stuck on the third paragraph because it began to sound awkward and I wasn’t sure how to go on.
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