read a book

Knowledge is what leads us to truth. If it doesn't lead us to truth, it isn't knowledge--knowledge derives its legitimacy from the truth to which it leads. Do you see? Knowledge must, necessarily, be the means of apprehending truth as a human.

Because knowledge and truth are inseparable, knowledge must be good. The underlying assumption is that truth and goodness are also inescapably tied together. Doesn't it seem clear that truth is never anything but goodness? Truth, at any expense and at any loss, is always results in a better state of affairs than the lack of truth.

Deception and manipulation serve a short-term goal of instant gratification. Granted, that path may spare another a bit of heartache at the moment or spare you the shame of truth, but really, resorting to lies as a means of showing affection is a sham. A lover should not knowingly lie, allegedly to spare the loved some pain, when he knows that goodness does not result from a foundation of deception. Goodness cannot come from dishonesty, chiefly because truth and goodness are inseparable and mutually exclude their opposites. Truth and deception do not both lead to goodness--how else would we describe them besides consequentially? If truth and non-truth glean the same results, we have little reason to draw a distinct line between the two.

All of this to say that knowledge, which is intrinsically connected to truth, must be good. The source of goodness is within the knowledge itself (read: comes from its truth-guarantee). You have mistakenly, but predictably, placed the source of goodness within the human. Knowledge is not dependent on mankind, mankind is dependent on knowledge. Those statements show, first, that knowledge is valid and good outside of any human interaction or even (dare I pen it) human existence. Second, humanity cannot approach truth without knowledge. Beauty is a manifestation of perfection--and therefore truth--and we, as humans, experience beauty through knowledge.

For these reasons, education is the standard for human ability to approach what is good in this life and in every other. Man's capacity to reason and defend his passions (thoughts) pushes him to expand his knowledge base and therefore provide himself with more venues from which he may view (as one views the storm from it's center--holistically, actively, safely) truth. Education supplies the necessary tools to engage oneself in this apprehension of knowledge. That process of seeking and approaching truth is goodness in man's life.

In this way, education is the best and most direct way to influence the goodness and quality of a person's life, mostly because it works from the inside out. Educators guide, they do not spoon-feed. The process, the journey--that's when (and where) a person derives knowledge. Knowledge, truth, goodness... I long desperately for the truth in this life, because I know it results in goodness.