Love and Knowledge

This thought, one of my better ones, became more developed today so I thought I'd share.

I think that the better someone knows something the more they love it (some ideas, like sin, excepted). Part of the reason I like math is because I'm good at it; I have knowledge of it and the calculus itself becomes pleasing. If I had no idea what integrals were, could I even like them? Knowledge, at least, is a prerequisite to love. Moreover, if a person keeps an open mind, they will often grow to love that which they are knowledgeable of. There aren't many things that I have liked less after having seen or tried them (oysters and Biblically-defined sin excepted again). Even if I tried, for instance, snowboarding (I ski) and didn't really like it as much as skiing, in some sense I could then at least appreciate its difficulty more for having tried it. By augmenting my knowledge of snowboarding through experience, I can value it for what it is.

This principle is seen more clearly in personal relationships. The more time two people spend together the more their friendship will develop. Why? Because they are learning each other's likes and dislikes; what their friend likes to eat and how they view the world. For some reason merely being with someone breeds companionship. The more I hang out with guys on the basketball team or at youth group the better I know them and the more I actually feel like their friends.

Community and common have the some root. Sharing experiences with another person creates common things between you; community is built up. When I don't talk to any of my friends for a while, I feel like we've been disconnected. We've lost some of that common experience. Some events that are life-changing, like a mission trip or a survived disaster, provide a permanent like between people. In most cases, however, friendships must be built up through hours spent together fairly consistently; otherwise the commonality fades away into the past. On the other hand, to lift a friendship a lot of time needs to be expended developing commonality - either over years or by close interaction daily. (Granted, people who begin with occupation, class, hobbies, etc. in common are more likely to love each other and become friends. This may be because they see themselves in the other person. They love their friend for the pieces of self they see in them.)

Excellent conversationalists are often those who can discern and intelligently converse with someone else about their interests. They must be in tune to things the other person likes and also must have enough knowledge about those likes to build a conversation. A conversation is most successful when the speakers find a topic that they both enjoy; so that they are both talking about themselves. Back to the snowboarding example: even if I didn't like it, I still have added to my realm of experience. I could talk about it with others who have tried snowboarding and maybe even discuss a little with expert boarders. That knowledge gives opportunity for commonality and friendship. Therefore, the best conversationalists are generally those whose experience is broadest - they can interact with any person on any topic. If they are wise they will find the one that their friend most wishes to discuss. This wide range of experience can be attained through reading. There are too many things to be and do for one person to experience them all. However, a book provides insight into many different people, countries, cultures, activities, etc. I may never know what it's like to climb Mount Everest, but by reading the autobiography of a summiter I can than talk intelligently (with knowledge) to a mountain climber about something he loves.

I can see why some couples divorce after decades of marriage - they simply stop talking to each other. Maybe they get bored, cease to interact, and wake up realizing they don't know their partner very well anymore. I've heard that common family time is crucial to preventing breakups. Spouses truly need to be each other's best friend and this is not possible without a lot of time spent together.

Alright, kindof crazy. If you, the reader, pick anything useful out of that I'll be happy. My mind is full but my body is tired and I have some stuff to do before bed.