The first time I heard of Bill Nye was on the Big Bang Theory! His show, Bill Nye The Science Guy, was such a hit it was nominated for 23 Emmy Awards and won 19! After his show was over in 1998, he continued trying to make the world a better place through education. Now he has a show on Netflix called Bill Nye Saves the World. It’s geared more towards adults and he talks about problems the planet is currently facing.
Bill Nye said, “Everyone you will ever meet knows something you don’t” in 2014, while he was giving the commencement speech for UMass Lowell. He went on to describe different professions like mechanics and cooks and how they are experts in their own field. He said, “Respect their knowledge. Learn from them. It will bring out the best in both of you.” Then he challenged everyone to “question things,” claiming that there will be world-changing discoveries in our lifetime. His main point was to inspire the students to change the world for the better.
I identified strongly with this quote especially when I am at work. In my line of work, there is so much that changes at such a rapid pace and I am constantly learning through my interactions with my team mates. Even when it comes to programming, there are so many ways to achieve the same result. And I am amazed when I come across an implementation or a piece of code done in a way that didn’t even cross my mind.
If you walk the footsteps of a stranger, you’ll learn things you never knew, you never knew.
Colors of the Wind ~ Disney’s Pocahontas
You can’t know everything, that’s impossible. This is because people are unique; they have different life experiences and possess skillsets different from everyone else.
As a result, someone along the way will know something that you don’t. This is why you should respect and listen to everyone. Keeping an open mind and listening to not only those you believe to be smarter or better than you at something, will benefit everyone. We shouldn’t feel upset or threatened that we don’t know everything. We should use it as an opportunity for learning and bettering ourselves.
Kenrick Vaz 