This was one of the biggest realizations of my life. Up until then, I truly believed I had to have an answer for everything, an opinion on every single subject or otherwise, I was failing somehow. Letting go of that idea was so freeing!
Discussion
It also fits into my “four circles of information” theory very well.
Please elaborate.
I have a whole article in my mind, but in a nutshell.
I am considering four types of news, but it applies to any information. Imagine four concentric circles:
1 - In the innermost circle, there are local news (e. g. your family, community, neighborhood). These are things that impacts you personally in direct way and you have some agency over them and you can check them yourself. Locally, they are usually within walking distance. When we apply it to information in general, these are the things that you SHOULD know, because they directly affect your life.
2 - Next circle are news from your extended neighborhood, a day ride away. This news does not affect you directly, but it still has impact on you. You might not be able to check it yourself, but it is relayed to you by trusted partner and if needed, you should be able to check somehow. These things might not be common knowledge, but knowing them will probably be beneficial to you.
3 - Third circle is world news or more accurately, gossip. These are things with very little effect on your life. Their value is mainly to satisfy curiosity, to explain concepts, or to simply entertain. Knowing might be useful very rarely, but not knowing is never harmful.
4 - Fourth circle contains legends. Legends are information that contain valuable information with uncertain effect on your life. Knowing or not knowing them is a difference between common and wise men.
There is a special type of information that is traditions, but I believe it's not necessary to complicate things further.
I believe that much of the "modern times confusion" stems from not being able to discern the correct type of information, because I believe that the brain fundamentally processes them in different ways. And not identifying them correctly leads to information overload and confusion.
Back to your statement - I believe that it is perfectly fine to say "I don't know" to anything in circles 3 and 4 and to most of the things in 2. It is only circle 1 that you should strive to know and possibly some parts of 2. Once I started to classify the information consciously, I began to be much more comfortable with not knowing, saying that loud and not feeling ignorant.
Does it make sense? It is the first time I have written about that.