~~Shooting for the Moon~~
All our dreams are only limited by an overwhelming self-knowledge.”
In this sentence, self knowledge can be understood as 'self awareness'. All our dreams are only limited by an overwhelming self-knowledge.”
In this sentence, self knowledge can be understood as 'self awareness'. I give 3 ways of approaching this sentence.
What can we know about ourselves that makes us realise that we will never achieve our dreams? As we mature, we realise our limitations, what we are capable of and what we are not capable of. Its unfortunate that most of the time, we are neither ultra talented, nor capable of filling the term 'renaissance man'. Thus, our dreams, created when we are unaware and oblivious, are lowered when realisation sinks in. In the play,
What can we know about ourselves that makes us realise that we will never achieve our dreams? As we mature, we realise our limitations, what we are capable of and what we are not capable of. Its unfortunate that most of the time, we are neither ultra talented, nor capable of filling the term 'renaissance man'. Thus, our dreams, created when we are unaware and oblivious, are lowered when realisation sinks in.
However, from another perspective, we can say that dreams are limited, not by self knowledge, but rather by a lack of self-knowledge/awareness. For example, John is a salesman and he is a terrible one. He is a terrible salesman, but he may have been a great writer. However, because he lacks self-knowldge of his own abilities, his dreams are limited. He can only visualise himself as a salesman and nothing more. In contrast, lets say Ali has great self knowledge. He knows what he likes and what he doesn't. Thus, he knows that an office job is not suitable for him and his dreams are clearer and in that sense, less limited.
Finally, we can also disagree with the statement. Dreams are not limited by self knowledge of our own abilities. Rather, dreams are limited by our abilities themselves. This view separates abilities and the knowledge of abilities. It teases out the nuance that abilities are the ones that drive or limit the dreams that we have. Knowledge about oneself merely serves to facilitate the process of achieving those dreams, but it does not have a major bearing on the process itself. John may know or may not know his abilities, but if he has the substance, the 'liao' as we Chinese call it, he would have achieved those dreams regardless of whether he is aware or unaware of his own talents and limitations.
~} Moonshine
Rion