There are known knowns; there are things we know that we know. There are known unknowns; that is to say, there are things that we know we don’t know. — Rumsfeld
Day after day and hour after hour – particularly during covid- meetings came at a nonstop clip. Today was no exception. During one of the meetings that I had today I just sat in complete wonder as to what those meeting attendees were thinking.
At one point I wanted to say “we don’t know, what we don’t know”. That’s a factual statement. Some people unforgivingly and idiotically expect you to be some sort of nostradamus.
Sure, as an expert we can provide our estimates and theories and conjectures. However, at times, we just have to admit there are known unknowns. It was a weird coincidence that I thought of this just as I saw a newscroll that Donald Rumsfeld had just died. He was teased for stating that quote about known unknowns. I too laughed. But then I have found myself noting that statement many times. And today was such a time.
May Rumsfeld rest in peace.
And may we all recognize that we can’t be expected to know everything even when we are experts.
Categories: Culture, current events, identity, Leadership, Management, Psychology, society, workplace
The Irony is Both Fascinating and Delicious Now
The More Science Attempts to Discretely Measure
Nature And The More Religion And Human Same
Tries to Tell Nature What to Do
The More We Find
Nature Has
A Mind
Of ItS own
Who KNeW
Nature is Wild And Free
PerHaps At Best We ReMeMBeR
Lest We Be Reaped By Our Own Ignorance
Of Who We Even Are Yes Nature With A Mind oF iTS Own
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So very true. Many people think things are absolute but change can come tomorrow.
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I often like to say tomorrow is not even guaranteed. A bit morbid perhaps. But we can’t take things for granted
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