Admit Ignorance? Never.

Yesterday I did the unthinkable: I Googled “how to meet your neighbors”. In my new role as paradoxical embodiment of my generation- desperate for traditional social comforts, bemused by the means of securing them- I found few particularly groundbreaking tips. As I clicked through several articles-all titled “[number] Ways to Meet Your Neighbors,” since only skimmable lists will do for this sort of query- I found few insights but one particularly patronizing and terrifying illustration:

The terrified person on the right is clearly intended by the author to embody one’s 0wn worst projected fears- horror and rejection by a stranger.  Outside of this psychologically insightful Wikihow 19 step guide, I found little on the internet to aid me.

Perhaps Google can’t aggregate all knowledge. The internet is grossly skewed in content toward gauche young people; issues of social finesse should be taken to an experienced social success: my grandmother.

As I laughed at myself for consulting Google in this highly personal matter, it stood out to me just how infrequently any of us are forced to admit our ignorance, much less voluntarily claim it.  My grandmother is a wise woman- I’m sure than when I call her about the neighbor approach, she’ll also recommend an appropriate recipe and encourage me to take the first step with a few stories about the deep and lovely friendships she’s had for decades with my friends.

We often forego learning in relationship for the sake of autonomy, efficiency, and knowledge. As we can avoid admitting ignorance (and its attendant vulnerability) more and more, conservative young people should proactively choose to learn in relationship. It can be embarrassing and time consuming, but it could be that we’ll be much better off for it. After all, Google can correct our misspellings of search terms, but only a person can tell us we’re looking for something in the wrong way, or for the wrong thing itself.