Some people can tell what time it is by looking at the sun. But I have never been able to make out the numbers.
Wise words from a schoolkid.
It made me smile although it wasn’t meant to be anything more than a statement from a child. I see it as a statement about knowledge. Knowledge that he knew was available but didn’t know himself. We are in the same position. We know that people can tell the time from the sun but most of us don’t know how to do that. We can look at the sun but can’t tell the time. We are like children.
We all see the same things but some of us see below the surface and make discoveries that advance our knowledge of the world in which we live. These are the people that worked out the time from the sun, how to detect North from moss and many other things that we have learnt from here and similar sites.
We also fail to realise that we are just as innocent in many other ways. After all there are many things that we know about but don’t know how to do it.
We need to remember that information is power. Ignorance is not bliss and can easily be rectified by learning and knowledge is power. We all need to remember that in many aspects we are still children eager to learn. Eager to increase our knowledge of the world. We just need to learn what we can from others and not have to work everything out ourselves. Then we can tell the time from the sun, without having to read the numbers or work out how it is done.
Using our knowledge is the single most important thing that will keep us alive after an event. Build up your knowledge now while you can.
During my trade training my instructor used to say there was only two types of knowledge.
The first is the kind you freely share and receive.
It encourages an open exchange of knowledge and skills where all prosper and trust and mutual respect is fostered.
The second one is selfish knowledge.
Selfish knowledge is how the ignorant and lesser mortals self promote themselves BUT in doing so are unlikely to prosper as they ultimately find themselves without friends and lacking in development which can only end one way, disaster.
I never fully understood that until I met a foreman who would only teach his juniors just enough to do a job. Then, when it all went wrong, he’d ride in and save the day blaming the ignorance of his junior staff. Ultimately he was dismissed because his training methods were obviously not good enough.
There’s also inate know’edge and understanding.
Using your analogy of the sun and direction, as a child I was able to tell the time of day to within ten minutes without a watch, and even without clear skies. No one ver taught me how to do this. I would also know the exact state ofthe tide, pretty amazing as we could not see the sea from our home and the high and low tide times change daily of course.
I have lost that ability now, but I know that its still in me somewhere and will resurface when I need it.
The human brain, when allowed freedom from technology and the controld of modern society is a truely amazing thing.
LS
I believe that knowlege shared in prepping and survivalism should always be given freely without charge or restriction, thats why this forum is by far the best one in the UK.
amen to that NR….i dont think theres almost any information that i’ve found useful that i dont share, and if i do its just down to forgetfulness, our free exchange of information makes us not only a great community, but a prepared one.
and that child’s statement was exceptionally insightful, wether he knew it or not, same with what paul said, which was also very true…..as survivalists we should all strive to know these things, including telling the time by seeing the sun!