Oscar Wilde makes such a bold statement. For those in education, this may sting a little. Yet, one cannot ignore the wise suspicion in it. There is a very private side of learning. It’s individualistic even when we collaborate. We don’t share our brain nor consciousness. All the learning happens within. And, it either shows in our actions or not. The melancholic solitude in our pursuit of knowledge might have lead him to say that. Or better, the whimsical and mystical side of poetry and fiction, the deep complexity of humans and life might have made him realize this. The exploration of life and humanity always left one baffled.

Knowing our limitations would give us a better and more realistic idea of our strengths.

One may be wise to pursue the meaning of “all that’s worth knowing“. Or we should ask what does he mean by “education”. Do our definitions differ? When we focus on the limitations of scientific inquiry in exquisitely complex classrooms and lessons, we may also get some answers for his tiny warning. Knowing our limitations would give us a better and more realistic idea of our strengths. Perhaps, the bleak side of traditional education based on lectures in 19th c. compelled him to say this. I wonder what would he think if he is around today? Can we teach what is worth knowing now?