How to Be a Knowledge Philanthropist

Understand what Knowledge Philanthropy really means. Philanthropy, as a word, comes from Greek root words, phil for loving (such as phil-o-sophy, meaning love of wisdom) and anthropos , for humanity (such as anthropology). Knowledge has mixed roots. Know is an old Germanic word with the older meaning now largely obsolete, but has closer roots with the word acknowledge as we use it today as well as the word gnosis. To know, means to recognise, identify or perceive and to declare that perception. Today, to know means to understand.

Consider, generally, how a person can be a Knowledge Philanthropist. A knowledge philanthropist not only wishes to share their knowledge, but share it for the benefit of others. It is important to remember that philanthropy simply means giving out of goodwill for other people. You want people to be able to be more free from the intellectual puzzles and problems of life, as well as resolve and act effectively to the physical challenges they may experience throughout life.

Be creative. Knowledge can too easily become limited and constrained. Many aspects of society become risk averse and, so, become dependent on qualifications, citations and other formal designations, simply to act as a security mechanism and provide assurance that the knowledge provider has special, high-level training or experience. There are applications where this is certainly important, such as when there is a gas leak and you need a qualified person who can safely repair the pipe. However, no one needs a qualification or citation of authority to be able to write and enjoy poetry, paint art, cook, enjoy the scenery or experience life more broadly.

Practice and reflect on quality. Quality is an ambiguous term and always will be a subjective one. The word itself comes from a Latin source, meaning "of what type or category" and qualify, being a related source word is about identifying the type. In later terms, it means a degree of goodness. The practical application is simply to share your knowledge as well as you can, in the best form it can be.

Experiment, observe and read widely. Knowledge ultimately comes from experience. We may be told in a science class what happens when we mix a metal with an acid, but only when we perform the experiment and observe the results, can we really see for ourselves what happens. The same applies for knowledge that we may learn in our day-to-day life at work, school, home and in the community. Knowledge Philanthropy does not necessarily limit a person to what they have experienced, but the best insights come from understanding a thing you have tried and tested for yourself and not limiting yourself to the information you have been told by another.

Contribute generously, but be wise. Be involved in wikis, in your local community and other services that may be in need of your knowledge. Age is one of the several classic prejudices a person will face, so a dedicated philanthropist should be aware of the challenges. When too young, an older person will seldom acknowledge them, as so often the young lack experience; when old, the young will think they are out of touch. In the middle, no one notices them. When a person has an agenda, a prejudice, an inflexible personal idea, or some other concept or method they prefer, in many cases it is fine to leave them be, for they are not always able to learn and share as easily as others.

Use your skills. If you may not have much knowledge in cookery or mechanics but can improve the grammar, images, and quality of the article, that is just as important as the original work. Using your skills to contribute and improve will make the difference and by teaching others your skills, you are helping to improve the world.