Expectations

We, human beings, are drawn to the concept of abstractness. Curiosity and wonderment are engraved in our DNA. Look at the world that we've built. Without those essential qualities, none of what we see today could actually be tangible or even just imaginable. Therefore the more mysteriousness there is, the more attractive and appealing things seem to be, and that will create the incentive in our mind for us to start a journey of exploration. This concept is true in every aspect of life. Whether it is academic conduct, science, relationship, affection, no matter what it is, all share a common matter of endless abstraction.

Though one must say that is very misleading. It ain't endless. We stop exploring when things are clear enough and when it has no further value for us to keep going. For example, physicists stop at the atomic level of the universe even though they know that is not the end, which they all agree on. The question then should be, 'is it worthwhile'. But I digress.

"I expected it to be wonderful, but it turned out I was overestimating the matter too excessively."

Exploration is a process and changes are bound to happen. As we keep exploring, the abstractness decreases and what we do is we get concreteness. This is basically learning as we download data and algorithms into our brain along the way. With abstractness lessened, the level of imagination also drops, so does creativity and regrettably also is our curiosity. Essentially we are making trade-offs, exchanging one thing for another so we can be more 'balanced'. But is it worth it? Yep, sometimes, and that is how we get some happiness as a result of revelation. Being able to understand is most rewarding to any explorer of knowledge, which we all are by default.

There is a dark side to revelations, however. They are mostly things that defy our expectations or beliefs. As a matter of fact, we all have experienced deception which can be based on dishonesty and falsehood. We can all relate to being told lies by other people, be it someone we know or a complete stranger, the latter being less painful, and the moment we find out about it we get upset. Not a very pleasant experience. What about disappointment? Well, that one usually happens when you set your expectations too high. Fact is, the longer you keep your expectations lingering, the more devastating will they become.

"Happy people focus on what they have when unhappy people focus on what’s missing."

That's a lie, or better inaccurate. Brace yourselves, I'm entering the matter.

But the point here is, as we fill our brains with facts and figures, we become more and more educated and knowledgeable, thus becoming more aware of that what we have and what don't have. Sadly, what we don't have, or in this case, what we don't know, is always more than what we know. The concept of infinity is the proof of this. Therefore, the more we know, the more we know that the less we know. So it is inherent that we all should be unhappy because people can't possibly distract themselves from noticing the massive.

Or can they? Here's what I want you to do right now:

1. Take a sheet of blank paper
2. Place it in front of you
3. Take a look
4. Take another sheet of paper and draw a small black dot in the center
5. Place it in front of you
6. Take a look

Answer these questions:

1. What did you look at in the first one? You might say: What is there to look at?
2. What did you look at in the second one? You might say: Oh, you mean the dot?

This proves that humans can focus both consciously and unconsciously. This is because we perceive contrast very strongly.

The problem is what is known to us becomes uninteresting while the unknown is a mystery to us and inherently becomes interesting. But the moment we experience it there is, unfortunately, no turning back. There might be happiness and amazement, there might be a temporary astonishment, but after that, we all gonna end up miserably like:

"My mind rebels at stagnation. Give me problems, give me work, give me the most abstruse cryptogram, or the most intricate analysis, and I am in my own proper atmosphere. But I abhor the dull routine of existence. I crave for mental exaltation." -- ACD

So what does it mean when you say to someone: "I don't know." Is that necessarily a bad thing? Absolutely not! Good for you! You should always be proud of saying "I don't know". Not knowing keeps us busy wondering about the matter. Once we know, we know and we stop wondering. How sad is that! So let me ask you this: 

Do you want to know?

End of chapter IV.