Wurman presents an interesting and eye-opening philosophy on the process of learning and what it means to succeed in today’s society. He speaks of his “ignorance” in a positive way and a type of launching pad for retaining new information and furthering his education. One of my favorite lines in this article, “…the key to making things understandable is to understand what it's like not to understand,” really resonated with me because it made me think about my own ignorance and how that ignorance is in fact just more room to fill with new knowledge rather than trait that should be hidden from society.
Wurman’s description of aesthetic seductions in relation to writing and the outpour of information to the general public sheds light on the fact that people seem to be less concerned with understanding information, whether it be vital or trivial, and more preoccupied with elements that initially attract them. We as human beings are drawn to what appeals to us aesthetically, which is why Wurman points out that most graphic designers are taught more about how to make things “look good,” rather than presenting information in a way that any person in the general public would be able to not only understand, but be able to process that information and apply it to everyday life.
Overall I really enjoyed this article. Wurman presents a simple yet useful philosophy of understanding information by being able to admit what it is that you don’t know, asking questions and attaining the answers you need to learn and in the end succeed. This article made me think about the endless amount of knowledge floating around in our world and how all that I don’t know, “my ignorance,” is actually the basis of my abilty to truly understand the information I need to learn, succeed, and survive.
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