Know This and Know Peace
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Dear Bolu,
If you have spent a certain fraction of your life navigating social media apps, odds are that you have come across the phrase, "know this and know peace" at least once. It is one of those gems that find relevance and appeals to people only in specific contexts. It is more often written than said because saying it does not pack as much effect as writing it. In itself, that is a pretty strange observation because "know this and know peace" (hereafter abbreviated as KTKP) is as good a rhyme as one the average person could conjure. To put it succinctly it sounds nice, yet it is read more times than it is heard.
The nature of KTKP is such that it never appears in isolation as that would mean there is nothing to know. Also, it often does not precede what needs to be known so as not to give the reader the option of either acquiring this knowledge or scrolling past it. No, it intentionally comes after a nugget of wisdom or insight so that the reader gets forcefully exposed to the light. While reading the wise text or denuded mystery, one may think it is just some fella's theory and it should be taken lightly or without any real motivation to give it focused attention. However, when one sees that the text concludes with KTKP, one must take some time to digest what has been read. The condition for one to know peace regarding a certain matter has been set and one must now evaluate oneself, consider the requirements for peace as stipulated in the text, acquire the knowledge therein, and peace shall be found.
Of course, this is not what always happens—we do not know peace by merely acquiring this knowledge. Knowing the message of KTKP statements does not guarantee peace. Whether the knowledge holds true or not is unimportant. To make a blanket statement on the veracity of KTKP statements would be silly. Merit to the arguments they present should be given on a case-by-case basis. Nonetheless, it stands that for cases where KTKP statements present sound or silly arguments, knowing them does not guarantee you will know peace.
Has knowledge ever brought you peace?
You might answer yes to that and you probably should. If you have been unable you reach your friend for a few days, you might get worried. Hearing from them and the knowledge that they are okay would make you feel better. It is a simple example but one that is relatable and proves that knowledge can actually bring you peace. KTKP is not often used in such contexts. It is usually present when the writer presents unsimplistic and unpalatable truths (or alleged truths). It could be a theory or an argument that borders on human nature or other spheres of life that we are encountering for the first time. In fact, it could be an idea we know already or are familiar with. Still, it would not necessarily bring us peace.
To know, as I construe it in this text is to be aware. Being aware of a thing does not necessarily take you to a place of peace. It does not always ease your worry. If I said to you, "all men must die, know this and know peace", would that make you at peace with death and its terrifying scythe? Not necessarily! You know all men must die—Valar Moghulis. We all know this for a fact but it is not enough to make us at peace with it. And that is because awareness is not the same as acceptance. To know a thing needn't mean we accept it. That is one of the privileges of being human. Although we know it, we retain some sliver of hope that it won't hold in our case and that we are exempt.
Oftentimes, when we see KTKP statements, we wrestle not against their inherent truism but their truism as it pertains to us. And rather than the knowledge bringing us peace and its accompanying relief, we are left unsettled. Ordinarily, you might feel a bit worried that you know the message of a KTKP statement and it's not bringing you peace. That's fine because there is a place for acceptance. Whether you choose to accept it or not is beside the point. Until you have ticked the acceptance box, you won't necessarily find peace concerning the message.
So the next time you see a KTKP statement, introduce an acceptance clause. A more complete phrasing of KTKP would be "know this, accept it, and know peace". It does not have as pleasant a ring as the original, but it helps. It will spare you from worrying about why you aren't at peace with the knowledge you have. There is always a place for acceptance.
Fin.
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Write you soon, merci !
- Wolemercy