Sharing what we know (#1158)

People who feel the need to keep knowledge to themselves usually do so because they are somehow convinced that being selfish with their knowledge gives them an edge. I know this because I have experienced it myself. When I was younger, I would share things and then those I shared with took advantage of the things I shared. I felt like I was being used. What I didn't understand then was that my feelings were exactly what I was doing to those I learned from. I had to face the fact that we all are in search of an edge when we feel less important than others. I began to see that I was just as important than anyone else and that made it easier for me to then give what I knew to others without a care as to how it affected me. Our society is a really strange one in which we are forced to compete in almost every aspect of it. Certainly competition is good in some areas, but not in most or even many. We are not on this planet to prove how smart we are. We are here to explore our surroundings and to care for each other. What we learn shouldn't come with a price tag and neither should what we share. Can you see how we take advantage of each other in ways that are detrimental to our own natures? For us to grow and mature as a species we have to have a commitment to educating ourselves as much as possible for as long as possible. The quality of our future depends on all of us having the opportunity to contribute in our own unique way. No one can predict who will have the next great idea. We increase the survivability of our species by nurturing knowledge and education as a duty. If we cannot get the community concept of our species as a rule then the hope for us to survive is reduced dramatically. We are strongest when we work together and sharing our learned knowledge is the best way for us to be prepared for whatever nature and the future will bring.