Knowledge and Power

It is said that "Knowledge is power."

But power is only realized when something is happening... When something is not happening, there is an input or inflow of "energy", power is accumulating. Energy is going IN. The energy is LATENT and takes the form of information, but there is no output, we'd describe this as in increase in POTENTIAL. This is a basic principle of physics. And it would apply to metaphysics, too. Naturally. Lots of people KNOW how to eat properly, and that exercise is good for them. How many actually put this knowledge to use? You can sleep with a book of all the answers to life's greatest questions under the pillow, but unless you read it, and do something about what you read, there is no power realized. Only potential. Stasis. Still water behind a dam.

I think it's more accurately said;

Knowledge is not power... Knowledge is Empowerment. 

The word "Empowerment" suggests the infusion of power - an increase in potential.

Being knowledgeable - possessing a great storehouse of knowledge - is certainly powerFUL. Lots of potential. But if nothing is done with this knowledge, then the practical effect of one's existence as a powerful being, is powerlessness. One can be both powerful (full of potential), and effectively powerless at the same time, doing nothing. It seems paradoxical, I know. But imagine having a Mustang GT and never driving it. Having the right (potential) to vote, and never voting... Now, that would be ironic, wouldn't it? Unthinkable! But this is what so many of us do with our lives. Knowing better about things, and never acting on that knowledge. Full of potential, but being powerless about DOING.

So, knowledge is POTENTIAL power. You have to access it, practice it. Put it to USE. Do something WITH it. Now, you will be wielding power.

Investing time and energy accumulating knowledge, is important. Transmission, or passing the potential (knowledge) along for future use and propagation is vital, and is in fact, a simultaneous expression of that power, enlightening minds, and generating more potential. Teachers good and bad, wield an immense amount of power.

So perhaps we can say;

Knowledge in USE, is POWER.

When we are putting what we know into practice, we are being powerful. We are making causes (let's make the best ones!).