<p>Can knowledge be a burden rather than a benefit?</p>
<pre><code>Knowledge is a powerful and beneficial boon to humanity, but only if it is gained and used justly and responsibly. When used with ill intention, knowledge can become a burden to society. Jonas Salk serves as a perfect example of someone who gained knowledge and used it towards the betterment of society. However, the general Othello in “Othello” by William Shakespeare is an example of someone who uses his knowledge to negatively impact those around him. These examples illustrate that knowledge is in the hands of the wielder.
Jonas Salk used his superior intellect and research to develop a vaccine for polio. In the mid-20th century, polio was a deadly, widespread pathogen. Numerous attempts to eradicate the disease were futile. Polio left its victims, mostly young children, paralyzed for life. At the time, James Salk was a fairly well known virologist. Although not personally affected by polio, he worked hard in his laboratory to develop a cure. Eventually, his diligent research led him to discover that injecting small, inactive quantities of a virus into the human body allow the body to develop immune-defense systems against that particular virus. He dubbed his discovery the “vaccine”. The vaccine proved to be a breakthrough not just for polio, but for all of medical research. Jonas Salk became a hero to the entire world. He acquired knowledge through hard work and research, and used that knowledge to benefit humanity. In his hands, knowledge became a boon. However, this is not always the case.
In the play “Othello” by William Shakespeare, Othello functions as a character who uses newfound knowledge to harm those around him and lead to his own demise. Othello’s rival Iago fabricates a story of Othello’s wife Desdemona having an affair with the general Cassio. Iago tells Othello this with the intention to manipulate him. With this new knowledge, Othello become consumed with rage. He allows the knowledge to control his emotions and his character. Othello brutally murders his wife, and, in a state of despair, kills himself as well. Knowledge can be used as a means of good or evil, and its power is in the hands of those who wield it. Othello allows his knowledge of Desdemona’s affair to consume him, so knowledge becomes a burden.
Ultimately, it is up to those who possess knowledge to decide how to use it. We can be like James Salk, and use our knowledge to benefit those around us. Alternatively, we can be like Shakespeare’s character of Othello, and allow great knowledge to tempt us, consume us, and drive us towards ill ends. We decide how we must utilize knowledge, to benefit or to burden.
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