HYDERABAD: All through our school years, we were told this quote by our teachers — ‘Half-knowledge is dangerous’. It always struck me as a vague statement, like the other lines our teachers would throw at us — ‘A stitch in time saves nine’ or ‘Say no to drugs!’ The example given was often of Abhimanyu. If you’re unfamiliar with our mythology, here’s a quick recap (before you leave to Pakistan!). Abhimanyu was in his mother Subhadra’s womb when his father Arjuna explained to her the correct process to penetrate the Chakravyuh — the most complex battle position in the Mahabharata.
While still in the womb, Abhimanyu learnt how to penetrate the Chakravyuh, the first case of a digital course. But since Arjuna did not complete the instructions, Abhimanyu only had half-knowledge about the Chakravyuh. Later in the war, young Abhimanyu penetrates the Chakravyuh but is surrounded and heinously killed by the Kauravas.
This story was told to us by our teachers as a warning against ‘half-knowledge’. But modern times and the internet have flipped the phrase upside-down. In our times, halfknowledge is a luxury we enjoy and can go a long way in leading a happy, fulfilling life. In fact, half-knowledge is celebrated in modern work cultures. Yours Truly has used the internet to learn a number of skills. I learnt calligraphy off the Internet, and also how to play the guitar. I taught myself how to bowl a short ball in cricket from YouTube, and often deepdive into subjects that I’d never dreamt of earlier — all thanks to the internet.
I could never become a master in these subjects; never acquire full-knowledge. But then, all I’m looking for is some like son Instagram! But unfortunately, our entire education system is skewed towards a system where you begin by getting a broad understanding of a number of subjects, but then gradually microscopically zoom into your interest of choice.
I studied five years of Commerce in high school and college. Five years of desperately trying to tally columns in balance sheets and ledgers, till I developed a morbid fear of anything that resembles a table. I sit on the floor and have lunch just to avoid the dining table! In today’s world, half-knowledge is celebrated. CEOs of multinational companies are expected to have knowledge of leadership, marketing, and sales that is not just specific knowledge in one field.
When school captains are chosen, it is not simply on the basis of academics, but also sports and dramatics. When we choose a partner for ourselves, we look for holistic and wholesome people. We are looking for a friend, lover and roommate. Corporates routinely encourage employees to do online courses to gather knowledge in various fields. In the modern world, half knowledge is very powerful. It’s a pity Abhimanyu wasn’t aware of the benefits of half-knowledge. If he had read some management books, he’d know that all he had to do was treat the Chakravyuh as a project.
He would have initiated KT (knowledge transfer), and delegated aspects of the projects to unpaid interns. He’d have set targets and handed out authority and responsibility to his team members. In fact, as Arjuna’s son, he could have gotten angel investment from the gods too! I hope teachers aren’t parroting the line ‘Half-knowledge is dangerous’ in schools anymore. In fact, the appropriate line should be altered to ‘Half knowledge is dangerous in mythological battles, but could help one reach the top of the corporate ladder in modern settings’.