Knowledge and google

Hello, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome,

     I got to thinking today. When a friend asks me to define a word, or what something is, I tend to suggest that they wiki it or look to google. This has led to a number of thoughts.
     First, the reason that I tell people to look to the internet is because I feel it is more likely to give a better and more accurate explination for it. But that also means that I fall out of the practice of explaining things. I understand the importance of delegation in today's society but I think that the fact that I keep directing people to the net rather than explaining myself is literally handicapping myself. I feel that even if I have mastered something (and lets face it I haven't mastered anything so I could be wrong) without practice that skill with wither away and disappear. So doing so is almost harmful to myself.
     Second, the first reason I tend to point to google or wiki is that I feel they are more likely to produce a more easily understood example. This is based on the assumption that given such a large pool of explinations as the internet, one is more likely to find an explination that will make it clear given one's own personal understanding of things. This makes sense but has more flaws than I orginially realized. The first is that one cannot really ask questions of the internet in order to clarify points. It is possible, but often inefficient. One could post to forums, pay money to ask researchers (nifty little google feature that is), or E-mail someone that knows with the question. That, however, requires time, sometiems money, and usually a lot more effort than people are willing to put in. Also, and more importantly, the explination online may be misleading. I find that even if a definition is sound, without the ability to clarify points it can be interpreted VERY differently.
     Third, the second reason I tend to point to the net is that I feel the definitions will be more accurate as they will inevitably be the most common and agreed upon definition. Most of you already see the problem, since when has the most agreed upon answer been the right one? I know, I know, but I still felt it worked because the majority and the average would be the definitions you were most likely to come across. Even better, this extends even to rarer and more esoteric knowledge as the net is large enough to find an average with that as well. And then, all comfortable in my little bubble, I thought, "yeah, but that doesn't mean that is what I think it is". I realized that half the time people ask me these questions they don't want to know what the world thinks, they want to know what I think.
     In the end I guess that I am just going to have to try to explain the best i can and save google and wiki for backup. If someone doesn't like my definition I can send them there, or if I feel in doubt I can tell them they might want to check with other sources first. But I think that I have to start explaining things myself, even if it is that grass is pushed up out of the ground by trolls.

Goodnight.

Dreams

Some people will tell you not to dream, to set reachable goals and strive for things you can do. Don't listen, do what you want, break it down and make every step a step toward your dreams. I have heard it said that dreams aren't dreams if they are reachable. I disagree, I think reaching your dreams is a wonderful thing, and I think when you get there you should give yourself a pat on the back and take a little break and start dreaming again.
     What I DON'T quite understand is when dreams seem to be things I have no real desire to do. In the end I just want to help my friends. Yes just that, and no it is no more selfish than anything else. I really just want to be there for all of them, I want to be able to offer shelter and comfort, and someone to talk to when they are down. I want to give 'em a good kick in the rump when they are wallowing and hold them when they hurt. In the end that is the only thing I have ever really had the motive to do through and through. I am going to be a psych major now, maybe that will help. I don't know though, I am told you are not supposed to be friends with your patients or let your friends be patients, but I feel like we are all each others therapists in the end, to the best of our ability.

Is it worth it? Still don't know, there are a lot of things I don't know, but maybe, for once, I should follow my own advice and make every step a step toward that goal.