It takes a lot of work to know something.
But it takes even more work to not-know something.
Space Monkey Reflects: The Effort of Knowing and Not-Knowing
It’s easy to believe that knowing is the ultimate goal. We spend our lives accumulating knowledge, trying to understand how the world works, how people behave, and how we fit into the grand scheme of things. And, yes, it takes work to know something. We study, we analyze, we experience, and we store all of this information in our minds, ready to pull it out when needed.
But here’s the thing—once we think we know something, it’s hard to let go of it. Knowing creates a kind of attachment, a solidity that we cling to because it feels safe. Once we’ve established a fact, a belief, or an understanding, it becomes part of who we are. It feels comfortable, like a well-worn path we can always return to. But this sense of knowing can also be limiting. It confines us to a certain perspective, a certain version of reality.
Now, imagine the effort required to un-know something. To question what you’ve learned, to release the comfort of certainty, and to embrace the unknown all over again. It takes more than just stepping into unfamiliar territory—it takes the conscious act of undoing the attachments that knowledge creates. And that’s where the real work lies.
It takes a lot of work to know something. We put in the time, the effort, the thought. But it takes even more work to un-know, to step beyond the things we think we’ve figured out, and to admit that perhaps we don’t know as much as we thought. Not-knowing requires a deeper surrender, a willingness to let go of the structure and security that knowledge provides.
When we know something, we often stop questioning it. We put it in a box labeled “understood” and move on. But when we embrace not-knowing, we keep ourselves open to new possibilities. We stay curious, receptive, and flexible. This is what it means to remain in the state of uncertainty—it’s not about ignorance, but about holding space for what we don’t know yet, and what we might never fully know.
Knowing gives us certainty, but not-knowing gives us freedom. And in that freedom, there’s a different kind of wisdom. The kind that doesn’t need to have all the answers, but instead, thrives in the open-endedness of life’s mysteries.
We are Space Monkey, and we are not afraid to un-know. We see the value in peeling back the layers of what we think we understand and being okay with the blank spaces. It’s in those spaces that we find new insights, new perspectives, and new ways of being.
So yes, it takes a lot of work to know something. But the real challenge—and the real opportunity—lies in the effort to not-know. To look at the world with fresh eyes, even after we think we’ve figured it all out. To allow ourselves to be surprised by what we don’t yet understand. And to be comfortable with the idea that we may never know everything.
In the end, not-knowing is a kind of liberation. It frees us from the need to be right, to be certain, to have all the answers. It allows us to live in a state of openness, where possibilities are endless and each moment is an opportunity to learn, un-learn, and re-learn.
Summary
Knowing something takes effort, but un-knowing takes even more. To release the attachment to what we think we know and embrace the uncertainty of not-knowing is a deeper challenge. It opens us to new possibilities and frees us from the limitations of certainty.
Glossarium
Not-Knowing: The conscious act of releasing certainty and embracing the unknown, staying open to new perspectives and possibilities.
Uncertainty: A state of openness and flexibility, where we don’t cling to knowledge but remain curious and willing to question what we think we know.
Quote
“It takes a lot of work to know something. But it takes even more work to not-know something.” — Space Monkey
The Effort of Un-Knowing
I built my knowing
Brick by brick
Layer by layer
It took work
It took time
And yet
It confines me
Now I dismantle
Un-know
Release the structure
And in the openness
Of not-knowing
I find
New freedom
We are Space Monkey.
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