One popular statement I’ve heard all my life is......What you don’t know won’t kill you.”
This word is often said in a tone that suggest that they meant to say....peace of mind is better than painful truth". Back then, I used to agree with it and nod in agreement. But with time, with various experience, and growth, I realize that this statement can not just mislead but it is also dangerous.
Lets start this way....the idea that something you don't know can’t hurt you sounds comforting right...But in the real sense, ignorance isn’t protection, it’s vulnerability. What you don’t know will not only kill you, it will break you, hurt you, cost you, give you up, deceive you, and delay you.
Health for example. A lot of people avoid medical checkups, why? Because they’d rather not know, they fear hearing bad news of their health deteriorating, so they assume not knowing equals safety. Whereas certain illnesses like cancer, diabetes or high blood pressure don’t care if you’re aware or not, they arw judt there, growing slowly and silently, and by the time the symptoms become visible, the damage is already done, it might have become hard to fix. In this case, what did what you did not know do to you, it kills, it breaks....
Also, in relationships, it has caused a lot of heartache. People ignore red flags because they don't want to ask questions that might lead to painful answers or breakups. They tend to hold onto the belief that if they don’t ask, they won’t find out, and if they don’t find out, they won’t get hurt. Cheating, lies, betrayals and all stul hurt either you want to know or not. Pretending something isn’t going on doesn’t stop it from happening.
This belief keeps people stagnant. The truth is, no one can grow in any area of life if they are not willing to learn. There was a time I struggled with managing my finances, all because I didn’t want to confront the reality of how bad I was at saving, I kept saying I am fine while ignoring my financial frustration. But, the moment I faced the truth and got the knowledge I needed, things started to shift.
We've used this word...what you don’t know won’t kill you", as a shield to avoid accountability, fear, and discomfort, while the truth/reality remains that growth demands that we get uncomfortable. Peace of mind doesn’t come from ignorance, it comes from clarity and truth, no matter how painful that truth is.
I no longer agree with that statement. I believe knowledge is power, and being aware of certain things is important. It’s better to know and prepare, than to be in the dark. Not knowing can only delay the pain, it won't prevent it and can even make it worse. I would rather say... What you don't know can only delay your pain, so better find it out and deal with it.