Well, would you?
If you had the choice, would you set yourself on a path of knowing absolutely nothing? But with the choice of finding out anything you wanted to know as long as you really wanted it. Or would you start the game knowing the answer, the outcome?
The question is the start, the answer is the end. Everything in between is the journey.
Our own personal levels of ignorance is what gives us our own individual worlds.
So do you really want to know the answer? Or do you even want to ask the question?

Searching the answers makes you loose the path :D
I´d rather follow the path.

it's a journey with a start but no end
we are always asking questions, we always want to know the truth and everything
but unfortunately, the more we know, the more we ask

neither of those posts are really answers, are they? there just stupid statements that are vague and semi-attempted-metaphor to try and make yourself look intelligent.

why not know everything?
you want to knonw nothing?
go ahead, but i think it sort of defies the point of.... life..... if you just sit around cracking nuts on stones.

They are answers. It is an apropriate answer to the question I think.
You never read about zen, did you?

it is appropraite to the question, since it was asked in the similar way, i just am not the greatest fan of people who say stupid metaphorical statements rather than answer the question.

if you know the story of the american and the martial art master guy you know what im talking about.
ask if you dont.

IN fact, I do not know. :(

You want a normal answer? Here you go: In the end, all the answers are useless. If you gather all the answers, you waste your life.

thank you, you know its easier.
this is the shortened version.

an american geezer wanted to know martial arts (and all the stuff that goes with it) and so he found a wise old master to teach him. he then tried to impress the master with his knowledge of his masters ways and country and talked for hours and hours.
eventually the master asked him if he wanted tea, and the american said yes. the master then poured some tea, but kept pouring the tea until it overflowed. the american asked him what he was doing.. the master said something metaphorical about talking to much, and the american was impressed.

why did the master not just say to the american:
"SHUT THE FUCK UP!!!!"
its annoying.

we are in fact in a philosophy thread, talking and metaphor are effective ways to make a point without going into extremes:D
philosophy is so complicated and open-minded, how can you have an absolutely definite answer for everything?

Hey Unsound, don´t you think the lesson was more graphic and memorable this way?

to be frank (no Bill, o FU***** LOL) 'What Lesson???'

You see, if that guy just says "shut the fuck up" then the American would probably do so. But he would start blabbering again. But the way you described it, the master tought a lesson. Sometimes it is better to say nothing, and in any case, do not talk too much. It´s a lesson for his life. Not just a momentary rebuke.

meh parhaps.
but if i remember the american does it again. and again. and again.
o wait thats real life.
silly me.

If you had the choice, would you set yourself on a path of knowing absolutely nothing? But with the choice of finding out anything you wanted to know as long as you really wanted it. Or would you start the game knowing the answer, the outcome?

There is no such choice. Well, technically there is, if you go for a dictatorship ideology, but I don't think this is what you had in mind.

We cannot choose our experiences. We cannot know for sure beforehand what will happen after we have made a certain decision.

All we can do is decide to have a more calm and positive attitude towards things, that's all.

I do know the answer. It's 42.
If you know the question..

..don't tell me.

dont be a silly person.

Hey, Logical person. Are you never silly?
Don't know if you were referring to me about trying to look intelligent, but anyway, I don't think any of you understood what I meant.
If you knew everything, from using a knife and fork, hot-wiring a car, nuclear science and maybe even a little levitation, actually I'd like to able to turn the light out without touching the switch.
You don't think the last 2 are possible.

O.k. I'm drinking again so forgive the bluntness.
Don't worry Rosa, it's alllllll good!
The reason the master spoke to the american that way is because that is how that person in that particular set of circumstances needed to be taught.
There are correct responses to situations at the time they are happening, that if used in any other moment, would not have the same understanding effect.
One only learns when one is open and ready to learn.
Try teaching someone who doesn't want to learn.
I studied the art of Zen/Taosim for quite some time to the point it still has an influence on the way I act and perceive the world.
The lesson of that particular lesson in general was that you will not be able to take in any more knowledge/wisdom with a mind that is already full and overfilled as the master was explaining to the student who's mind was going a million miles an hour, and over flowing through useless chatter.
Just like the cup that was full, could not receive anymore content, and overflowed.
It is only when one empties ones mind of useless thoughts and calms ones mind that you will be able to take on a better understanding or deepen ones own wisdom of yourself ,others or the world around you, and be able to recieve more valuble content.
Telling the student to just "shut up" would have provided no instruction at all for the young american. And would have probly even distanced himself from the student in being able to teach him anything about wisdom.
Wisdom is not, and cannot be taught by force.
Only through example.
And only at the right time.
When one is open and ready.
Another ancient saying is" All I can do is point to the door, you have to walk through it."
This knowledge of self and wisdom is different than logical anayisis and remembering quotes, facts, or textbook paragraphs.
It is wisdom when it effects everything you do in a beneficial and life sustaining way.
When it becomes part of you.

As for the original statement, no I would not want to know "everything".
Why the heck would I want to know what time every one takes a crap, or what it looks like, what sick and twisted things some people do behind closed doors.

So no, I don't want to know everything, unless that included knowing what I did'nt want to know.

What would even be the point of knowing everything? Because when u get to the point of knowing everything there would be nothing to do.

which is why we have a mempry, ANd a forgettory. the former is mostly mentioned but not the latter...doesn't this happen to you that you leanr, know, experience things and then you forget them....sometimes they pop inot consciousness--remembering? which means they had been forgotten. so it's a circular movement again isn't it. now you see it now you don't

the 'knowing everything' is a childish patriarchal dream concoting their 'God' that is 'omnipresent' which they then hope to aspire to living everlastingly knowing everything. horrible thought!

The more I know, the less I know!

If i knew everything I would have no reason to live.

Really? Who knows...oh wait, you would...

Alas, if I would strive all my live to gather all the answer and then find the last one on my deathbed, perhaps then it is all right. But another question, is it even possible to have all the answer?

why not know everything?
you want to knonw nothing?

I don’t want to know everything, because there would then be no point to living. Unless, there were some objective meaning to life.

I also don’t want to know nothing, for knowing nothing would be to die. I don’t want to die

If you knew all the answers, you probably wouldn't have room for the questions.


Besides, wouldn't that be an unfathomable amount of information.