"Ren, you're good at saying 'I don't know.'"
Simon said while drinking coffee.
"Not good at it, just stating facts," Ren replied.
"But many people hate admitting they don't know."
"Pretending to know is the enemy of thought."
Simon laughed. "Socrates' 'knowledge of ignorance,' right?"
"Yes. Knowing what you don't know. That's the beginning of wisdom."
"But in modern society, admitting ignorance is seen as incompetence."
Ren's face became serious. "That's the problem. Pretense spreads."
"Why do people pretend to know?"
"Pride and anxiety," Ren analyzed. "They measure their value by how much they know."
Simon nodded. "Maybe a remnant from when knowledge was power."
"It still is power. But false knowledge is fragile."
"Fragile, but effective short-term."
Ren wrote in the notebook.
"Cost of pretending to know:
- Wrong judgments
- Loss of learning opportunities
- Collapse of trust"
"The third is heaviest," Simon pointed out.
"Once a lie is exposed, everything is doubted."
"Then why does pretense continue?"
Ren thought. "Probably because the immediate psychological cost of admitting ignorance feels heavier."
"Culture of shame?"
"That too. Especially in Japan, saying 'I don't understand' is difficult."
Simon agreed. "Similar in Germany. There's an illusion that experts should know everything."
"An illusion indeed. No human knows everything."
"So how can we admit ignorance?"
Ren smiled. "Transform values. Don't see ignorance as shame, but as learning opportunity."
"Easier said than done."
"True. But you can start with small practices."
"Like what?"
"When an unfamiliar word comes up in conversation, ask immediately."
Simon tried. "What did you mean by 'immediately'?"
Ren laughed. "Right away."
"I knew, but I practiced."
"Good training. Even if it's acting at first, it becomes habit."
Simon asked seriously. "But Ren, when you really need to know?"
"That's a matter of responsibility," Ren distinguished. "What you should know as an expert differs from general topics."
"In your specialty, pretending isn't allowed?"
"Not allowed, and shouldn't be done. 'I'll look it up' or 'I'll confirm' is correct."
"But won't that lose trust?"
"The opposite. Honesty builds trust."
Simon pondered. "Might depend on culture."
"Interesting point."
"In America, 'I don't know' is relatively accepted. But in Asia, it can be difficult."
Ren nodded. "Maybe the difference between collectivism and individualism."
"How do we overcome it?"
"Change dialogue culture. One person at a time."
Simon laughed. "Grand scale."
"Philosophy is grand."
"So after admitting ignorance?"
Ren held up a finger. "Learning. After knowing what you don't know, research, ask, think."
"Ignorance isn't an endpoint but a starting point?"
"Exactly. Socrates started from there."
Simon looked out the window. "Admitting ignorance takes courage."
"Courage and humility," Ren added.
"Isn't humility weakness?"
"It's strength. The strength to know your limits."
"Isn't that contradictory? Admitting weakness with strength."
"It's contradictory. But that's human," Ren smiled.
Simon stood up. "Good discussion today."
"Agreed."
"One question."
"Go ahead."
"Ren, are you really good at saying 'I don't know,' or do you just know less?"
Ren burst out laughing. "Good question. The answer is, I don't know."
They left the room laughing. Awareness of ignorance is the first step to wisdom.