The Contents of my closet
“If something is worth doing, it is worth doing poorly”
No matter how much time you spend studying, discussing, and thinking about something, there will almost always be someone who knows more about that subject than you do. To claim that you are an expert on something is very bold. However, I know that I am without a doubt the leading expert on the inside of my closet. (assuming, of course, that no one has broken into my house recently.) So if you ever find yourself in a discussion with me about the contents of my closet, or any part of my house for that matter, I suggest you listen to what I have to say. However, once the discussion moves beyond my front door my knowledge tends to be overshadowed by others, and while I still hope you will listen to me, you may also want to take my thoughts with a grain of salt. I’ve been wrong before, and I will undoubtedly be embarassingly wrong in the future.
This is something I thought about a lot when I was toying with the idea of starting a blog. I thought that surely, no matter what I choose to write about, there will be a better writer who knows more that has written on the same topic. So why should I bother writing about anything at all?
But the idea of just shutting up when you have something meaningful to say doesnt seem right. Even if someone else has said it better than you can. After all, they might be able to say it better, but only I can say it like me. Maybe someone will be able to relate to my writing when they couldnt relate to the experts? Unlikely, but not impossible. At the very least, it is possible that my writing could inspire someone to go and read the experts for themselves.
But the main reason I continue my obnoxious habit of writing about ideas that I have no business writing about is because I honestly believe that if you think something is true and meaningful, you should share it with anyone who will listen. Even if someone else knows more about it than you. After all, one of the ways we arrive at truth is by taking an idea, filtering it through as many people as we possibly can, and picking up whatever comes out on the other side. This is just my way of contributing to the filter.
Besides, being an expert sounds dreadfully boring. Only being able to teach others and never learn from them sounds like a lot of work. I would rather be me.
