To Be Ignorant Is to Be Empowered: The Power of Not Knowing

| Perhaps ignorance is not a flaw we possess, but a door we have kept shut – one that, if opened, may lead us toward empowerment.

As Socrates once said, “I know that I know nothing.” It is within this paradox that I find both comfort and clarity.

As a student advocate and the founder of a student-led organisation dedicated to empowering underrepresented voices – particularly underprivileged youth, in a city where nearly one in five children live below the poverty line – I often find myself stepping into conversations I am still learning to navigate. Whether it concerns social justice, education policy, or the accessibility of resources, I did not create BridgeU Youth because I had all the answers. I started because I knew something was missing – and I could no longer ignore that gap.

My journey into advocacy deepened through my research on migrant workers. It was not certainty that led me into this space, but rather the discomfort of not knowing – the realization that the stories and struggles of these individuals were often hidden, unheard, or misunderstood. That lack of knowledge didn’t silence me. It sparked a drive to learn more, to ask questions, and to seek change.

By embracing “ignorance” – or more precisely, the awareness of my own limitations – I found the courage to ask better questions and to build connections with individuals who share the same desire to learn, challenge, and act. As youth, we are often dismissed with phrases like “too young to know” or “too young to create impact.” But I’ve always believed that age does not define our capacity – our thoughts and actions do.

| Acknowledging what I didn’t know gave me power – not over others, but over fear and inaction. It allowed me to challenge the status quo not with arrogance, but with honest inquiry.

So today, I invite you to reclaim ignorance – not as a void, but as a powerful space. A space for questioning, for growing, and for building something better. It’s okay not to know everything – what matters is your willingness to ask, to listen, and to learn.

| I write not because I hold the answers, but because I’ve learned to value the questions.

Perhaps ignorance is not emptiness after all – but space: for truth, for change, and for us.