Knowledge is Power: A Timeless Concept

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Knowledge is power. This concept has survived generation after generation because of the timeless truth behind it. In his autobiographical novel My Bondage My Freedom, Frederick Douglas wrote about his realization of the power that knowledge brings. He disclosed an intimate account of his experiences and thoughts surrounding the atrocious acts permeating the practice of slavery. As a slave, Douglas did not experience power in the stereotypical positional sense. He did, however, experience increased power gained from knowledge in other ways. Douglas knew how to behave as a slave, and that knowledge allowed him the ability to make wise decisions that protected his life; although there were laws in place to protect slaves against unjust treatment, these laws were “utterly incapable of being enforced” (Douglas 127). The role of a slave was to obey without question and to not even think about questioning his master. Douglas watched and had interactions with the powerful men and women in his life that demonstrated that knowledge was power. Douglas realized that knowledge was power in relation to his journey from slavery to freedom; the concept that knowledge is power is timeless and can be applied on an individual, social, and innovative level.

Power is a byproduct of an individual gaining knowledge. One can acquire an abundant amount of knowledge throughout his college years for example, and not realize the amount of power he has stored within himself. The subject matter does not disqualify the existence of power as a byproduct; all of the thoughts and decisions of a person are directly powered by the knowledge he has subjected himself to. Douglas chose to live in a submissive manner towards his master because of the knowle...

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..., Douglas used his knowledge to yield the innovations of personal freedom, and eventually, the abolishment of slavery. His publications educated society about the brutal reality of being a slave; with this knowledge, society was powerfully burdened to make a change. The relationship of knowledge to power is evident on the individual, societal, and innovative level, and will continue to exist as a timeless concept despite circumstantial variation.

Works Cited

Anyon, Jean. “Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum of Work.” Journal of Education 162.1 (1980): 67-92. Web. 1 Oct. 2011.

Coutu, Diane. "The Science of Thinking Smarter." Harvard Business Review 86.5 (2008): 51-54. Business Source Complete. EBSCO. Web. 1 Oct. 2011.

Douglass, Frederick. My Bondage and My Freedom. Project Gutenberg, n.d. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). EBSCO. Web. 1 Oct. 2011.

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