Editorial: From “knowledge is power” to “power is knowledge”

["Taiwan Church News" <enews@pctpress.org>]

      Taiwan Church News

      3054 Edition

      September 6~12, 2010

       

       

      Editorial: From “knowledge is power” to “power is knowledge”

       

      Translated by Lydia Ma

       

       

      Francis Bacon once observed that “knowledge is power” and his 
conviction became a famous 

      aphorism worldwide ever since he uttered it in the 16th 
century. 

       



      What’s the meaning of “knowledge is power”? Put simply, it 
means we’re strengthened or 

      empowered by having an understanding about something. Knowledge 
helps us be more 

      effective in the workplace, distinguish right from wrong, and 
make moral decisions. 

       



      All of these good things enabled by knowledge can help people 
improve interpersonal 

      relationships, help cultures flourish, and help countries 
pursue freedom, justice, human rights, 

      equality, etc.

       



      However, a peculiar trend has sprouted in Taiwan’s political 
arena recently. Instead of 

      “knowledge is power”, what we’ve seen happening in various 
cases or stories across the 

      country is this adage turned upside-down – “power is knowledge”.

       



      The meaning of “power is knowledge” is simply this: As long as 
someone has power or some 

      high government position, his or her words automatically carry 
weight and wisdom regardless 

      of what it is that he or she uttered and whether it makes 
sense. 

       



      As absurd as this definition may sound, we saw it played out in 
technicolor reality when 

      Taiwanese officials’ waved off Da-pu farmers who saw their rice 
paddies razed and we saw it 

      again when a marine officer was heard uttering a demeaning 
remark about Aborigines’ work 

      ethics and drinking habits.

       



      One professor in Taiwan wrote, “I once saw a comic strip with a 
cemetery and a sign that said 

      ‘Herein lies a great company of people who thought they were 
irreplaceable when they were 

      alive.’ Because our stay on earth is so brief, perhaps that’s 
the reason why Americans 

      realized they didn’t need a country with heroic politicians, 
but rather, a heroic nation and culture.”  

       



      A great nation becomes great by building upon a foundation of 
knowledge and heeding wise 

      people’s words instead of egocentric, foolish talks from 
politicians. Likewise, contemporary 

      Taiwanese Christians must awaken to the fact that they must use 
God’s word to fuel their 

      social calling for this is the only way for us to discern and 
root out “power is knowledge”.

       



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