^above is an encyclopedia which I often read as a kid.

Are some types of knowledge more useful than others?

This Encyclopedia provides knowledge to the readers in an accessible way as the books use images, diagrams and Encyclopedias often give knowledge on a range of topics. Most of the information in the books are facts, however, there are some things that can be a little biased. For example, Historical facts or information can be misrepresented in order to push an agenda. I feel like the historical aspects of encyclopedias can offer some bias and perspective as it is often said that “history is written by the victors (Winston Churchill). Encyclopedias mentioning the history of Asia could be done in multiple perspectives from the perspectives of the colonizers and of the locals. Overall I feel like the information in an encyclopedia is very general and can be useful to large groups of people. However, I think this gives a surface level of knowledge on multiple topics and includes mostly shared knowledge, rather than personal knowledge of an individual’s experiences. For someone who is trying to understand specific issues in-depth including all of the stakeholders and their perspectives encyclopedias and books may not always be the best resource.

 

 

My IA prompt is: Are some types of knowledge more useful than others?

Above is a picture of one of my Mother in a traditional Kashmiri Phiran (pheran), which has Kashmiri embroidery. It is a unisex garment and is often worn during the winter seasons as it’s woolen and keeps you protected from the cold. As many know, Kashmir is now under a heavy military lockdown, with communications and media blackouts, curfew, and other restrictions. The Phiran has been used as a symbol of resistance by Kashmiri’s who feel misrepresented and targeted. In 2018, a ban was placed on the education department against wearing the Phiran, which was then reversed following public outcry. It was also recommended that no official visits could be made when wearing a phiran. Kashmiri’s protested sharing images of them in their Phirans and explaining the significance it has to them. This relates to the usefulness of knowledge as it shows that even a piece of clothing has a lot of significance and knowledge that can be acquired from it. In this case, a Phiran is a form of self-expression and a part of Kashmiri’s identities. It can be considered a cultural symbol for a community of knowers who have experienced oppressive laws. This information isn’t widely available partially due to the media blackout and restrictions. I feel that this knowledge is useful specifically for people interested in this topic but I also feel that this information is important for raising awareness about current global issues. As an Indian- Kashmiri this information is incredibly useful to me so that I can better understand the situation which is taking place in Kashmir. (262 words).

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-46632982

Are some types of knowledge more useful than others?- This is the question prompt of my choice.

This relates to my Indian clothes and my encyclopedia as they both represent knowledge of different types. Clothes can represent culture and identity whereas the encyclopedia could tell us about other aspects of knowledge like facts, general knowledge, and culture. I think that both objects present useful information which varies on the time and the person who is receiving it. A person who wants to learn more general things about a specific topic like India might find the encyclopedia useful as it contains information regarding land size, languages spoken, and other measurable facts. Whereas the clothes could speak to the identity of the person wearing it and could share more intimate information, for example how the person feels when they wear it.

 

Encyclopedia: a book or set of books giving information on many subjects or on many aspects of one subject and typically arranged alphabetically.

I feel encyclopedias provide knowledge to the readers in accessible ways due to books that are targetted towards many age groups. Encyclopedias often give knowledge on a range of topics. Most of the information in the books are facts, however, there are some things that can be a little biased. For example, Historical facts or information can be misrepresented in order to push an agenda, or beliefs of the person writing it. I feel like the historical aspects of encyclopedias can offer some bias and perspective as it is often said that “history is written by the victors (Winston Churchill). I feel like most of the information is also very general and can be useful to large groups of people.

 

 

 

Photography: the art or practice of taking and processing photographs.

“A picture is worth a thousand words”, (a famous proverb). I feel that photography is an art form that can be (mostly) easy to understand. It can communicate a range of ideas and concepts that the artist wishes to portray. The black and white picture above for example can portray many ideas. The color scheme of the photo instantly makes the picture more dramatic because of the contrast between black and white, it also simplifies/ removes the distraction of color and really allows us to focus the main subject of the picture. Photography can portray emotions and have historical significance.

I feel even though photos are widely available and easy to comprehend, sometimes understanding the deeper meaning can be challenging without context in the form of text. This may make photography accessible only to people who have some prior knowledge about the subject of the photograph. However, even without completely understanding the intent of the image I feel that photography still allows you to enjoy whatever it is you are looking at. I feel photos are also very important as they capture a moment in time, capturing the emotions, perspective, and beauty of the moment.

I like photography as do many people in this modern era, we take many pictures on our mobile phones and I think this is an important part of our culture. I also believe that there are aspects of an image that are only understandable to the photographer and people in it. I think the story behind the photo and how it was made can also be powerful. Imagine a photo of a lightning strike, people looking at the image won’t know how long the photographer had to wait to acquire that image as well as the experience of taking it. I think that this knowledge from the picture is only accessible to the people the photographer wants to share it and it can be more personal.

 

Clothes: items worn to cover the body.

Clothes are not only an item we use every day, but they also have cultural, societal, and individual significance. The clothes we wear can tell us about the social norms of particular communities, for example, it can be rare to see women walking around in short-shorts in the middle east due to the cultural importance of modesty and the strong influence of Islam. The clothes we wear also portray our identity and self-expression. When I wear a piece of cultural clothing for example a lengha, I represent my Indian heritage, I am also able to connect to others who wear this as we might have things in common. I think wearing traditional clothes can attract a community of knowers who understand the significance of the clothing, as such I believe that some clothing can have knowledge that is mainly understood by a group of knowers. This also shows the relation between culture and knowledge. For example, Hindu’s who wear white to a funeral may understand the religious significance of incarnation and how death is not viewed as ‘bad’ rather it is just the end of one lifetime and that the soul will be reincarnated.

refrences

“Street Photography” by Imahinasyon Photography is licensed under CC BY 2.0

“Canonet with gordy’s camera strap” by FXTC is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

“Encyclopedia Britannica volumes” by Todd Mecklem is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

“Encyclopedia pages showing world flags” by Horia Varlan is licensed under CC BY 2.0

“Clothes barn” by allispossible.org.uk is licensed under CC BY 2.0