Why should I give away my knowledge for free?

Question

This is more of a theoretical question than a reflection of how I personally feel.

My education over a lifetime has cost close to a million dollars (and counting), from preschool to graduate school. Granted, I didn't pay for it all myself...but what I'm getting at here is that if education is so ridiculously expensive, what is the benefit of distributing that knowledge to others for free?

This is the question of the 21st century, I think. And totally worth 5 points.

I emphasize that this is not how I personally feel, as I freely share my knowledge on Yahoo! Answers and in my daily life.

It is a question for the sake of provoking thought and *intelligent* discussion.

Answer 1

Which leads inexorably to the further question - what is the purpose of education? (Or as we often hear it today in a slightly different form - what good is education?)

You, of course, posed it slightly differently, and ask about knowledge. I would like to think of knowledge as a resource to be shared. What you paid for was not the knowledge - it was to support those who helped you learn.

There is, you know, no such thing as "teaching." At least as an active verb that takes an object. we can say "I teach the student" but it is a meaningless sentence, it has no real content. I can repair a car - I can operate on a patient - I can write a poem. I cannot teacher a student. How do I do that? Open the skull and somehow pour the information in?

The student teaches himself. Or herself. The teacher can intimidate, fascinate, bribe, trcik, threaten - a teacher can make helpful associations, explain things again you might not understand - but in the final analysis, the student does it alone.

And so - since the knowledge came through your effort, not through your payment - many great men and women were self educated - you are free (note the word) to do with it what you want. You can try and profit from it - or you can share it and make the world a better place.

Answer 2

Did you have an alternative of saving all that knowledge in large baggies and bringing one to the supermarket to trade for groceries every week? You have benefited from your knowledge so why be a miser about sharing it? You won't get any stupider for having given some of it away and the conversations with others might even add (for free) to your accumulated knowledge.

btw that is the most-selfish viewpoint I have ever heard.

Answer 3

That was a very concieted question. There is nothing about your education that makes you more valuable to the world than the guy who doesnt have his diploma. I'm glad you can spend the time to reflect upon your greed and self centered-ness. If you're sick of giving away free knlowledge, get a job.

Answer 4

Because you're nice. I know, I usually get paid $25 an hour to dispense my knowledge (as a teacher). But doesn't helping other people just feel good? You can't put a price on that!

Answer 5

I think you are over impressed with you own intelligence. What good is your education if you DON"T share it with others, regardless of their ability to pay. Personally, with your attitude, you can keep your valuable education and stick it where the sun doesn't shine. Who needs you?

Answer 6

Have a coin slot installed where your mouth is.

That will be $5 please.

If I got most of my education from the streets, doesn't that make me a Roads Scholar?

Answer 7

But if u really think about it, we pay to receive other pples knowledge, mostly in the form of services e.g, we pay for doctors' services & that knowledge they have to do what they do, they paid for it in med school, so i dont think that we give our knowledge away for free.