Blake Imeson *Innovatrepreneur

Solved the knowledge problem?

Quick philosophical random thought hit me and I thought I’d share.

The internet has solved a large part of the “knowledge problem.” What that has meant historically is that there is all this large body of knowledge spread out over many people in many regions. Because this knowledge has historically been disparate and not a cohesive whole there has been much inefficiency and waste of resources.

I was reflecting on how I am not a “coder” by training or inclination. (meaning I do not have the mind of a programmer) This has not stopped me from creating websites and solving difficult problems of web development.

I am able to move forward, not because I am really smart (I’m not) or have had special education but because of the tremendous wealth of information available online. And this is not just web development. No, most certainly not. Every body of study man has undertaken is available online. In many languages, with many different viewpoints.

This is an incredible freedom and blessing that humanity has never had before.

Mises and then Friedrich Von Hayek wrote about this issue in relation to the inevitable failure of socialist central planning. Hold on…this does relate. Jimmy Wales, the founder of Wikipedia, was actually inspired by Hayek when he started Wikipedia. 

This guy (picture on right) put just 5,000 of the almost 3 million articles into book form. (Wikipedia contains over a billion words)

Here is my point. We live in an age that if you want to teach yourself…programming, Dutch, cheese making, raising fainting goats or basically anything… it is there for the reaping. 

That, my friends is amazing.