Yini Ebangela Ukukhathazeka Ngenxa Yolwazi?

“UKUKHATHAZEKA NGENXA YOLWAZI kubangelwa igebe elandayo phakathi kwalokho esikuqondayo nalokho esicabanga ukuthi kufanele sikuqonde. Kuwumhosha phakathi kokwaziswa nolwazi, futhi kuvela lapho ukwaziswa kungasitsheli lokho esikufunayo noma okudingeka sikwazi.” Wabhala kanjalo uRichard S. Wurman encwadini yakhe ethi Information Anxiety. “Esikhathini eside, abantu babengaqapheli ukuthi kungakanani ababengakwazi—babengakwazi ababengakwazi. Kodwa manje abantu sebeyakwazi abangakwazi, futhi lokho kubenza bakhathazeke.” Umphumela uwukuthi iningi lethu lingase libe nomuzwa wokuthi kufanele lazi okungaphezu kwalokho elikwaziyo. Njengoba luluningi ulwazi olutholakalayo, siqongelela ukwaziswa okuyingcosana. Kodwa ngokuvamile asiqiniseki ukuthi yini okufanele siyenze ngakho. Ngesikhathi esifanayo, singase sicabange ukuthi abanye abantu banolwazi nokuqonda okungaphezu kwalokho esinakho. Lokho-ke kubangela ukukhathazeka!

UDavid Shenk ubonisa ukuthi ulwazi oluningi luyisiphazamiso esibangela “ukucinaniswa ulwazi.” Uyanezela: “Ukucinaniswa ulwazi kuyisithiyo; kuqeda izikhathi zokuthula, futhi kuphazamisa ukuzindla okudingekayo. . . . Kuyasicindezela.”

Kuyiqiniso ukuthi ulwazi oluningi ngokweqile lungabangela ukukhathazeka, kodwa kuyisimo esifanayo uma singenalo ulwazi olwanele noma, okubi nakakhulu, uma sinolwazi olunganembile. Kunjengokuba nesizungu egumbini eligcwele abantu. Njengoba uJohn Naisbitt ekubeka encwadini yakhe ethi Megatrends, “sinokwaziswa okuningi ngokweqile kodwa sintula ulwazi.”

Indlela Ubugebengu Bama-computer Obungakuthinta Ngayo

Okunye okubangela ukukhathazeka ukwanda kobugebengu bama-computer. Encwadini yakhe ethi Protection and Security on the Information Superhighway, uDkt. Frederick B. Cohen uzwakalisa ukukhathazeka kwakhe: “I-FBI [Federal Bureau of Investigation] ilinganisela ukuthi unyaka nonyaka kulahleka imali engaba ama-dollar ayizigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezinhlanu [amaRandi ayizigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingu-22] ngenxa yobugebengu bama-computer. Okumangalisayo ukuthi lokho kumane kuyingxenyana nje yenkinga enkulu. Ukushiyeka kwezimiso zokwaziswa nakho kuye kwasetshenziselwa ukuphumelelisa izingxoxo zokubonisana, ukonakalisa idumela labanye, ukunqoba izimpi, ngisho nokubulala.” Ngaphezu kwalokhu kunokukhathazeka okwandayo ngenkinga yokuthola kwabantwana izithombe zobulili ezingcolile kuma-computer—ingasaphathwa eyokuphazamisa amalungelo abantu angasese.

Imilutha engathembekile yama-computer ifaka izinhlelo ezonakalisayo kuma-computer ngamabomu futhi ibangele inkathazo. Ochwepheshe bama-computer abayizigebengu basebenzisa izimiso zama-computer ngokungemthetho futhi bathole ukwaziswa okuyimfihlo, ngezinye izikhathi bebe ngisho nemali. Izenzo ezinjalo zingaba nemiphumela ebhubhisayo ezinkulungwaneni zabasebenzisi bama-computer. Ubugebengu bama-computer buwusongo kwezebhizinisi nakuhulumeni.

Isidingo Sokuba Nolwazi Olugcwele

Yiqiniso, sonke kudingeka sibe nolwazi olugcwele, kodwa ukuba nokwaziswa okuningi akusifundisi ngempela, ngoba okuningi kwalokho okuthiwa kuwukwaziswa kumane kungamaqiniso nje noma ukwaziswa okuluhlaza, okungasithinti ngalutho. Abanye baze basikisela nokuthi kunokuba kuthiwe “information explosion [insada yolwazi],” lokhu kungabizwa ngokufanele ngokuthi “data explosion [insada yokwaziswa]” noma ngisho nangokugxeka ngokuthi “insada yolwazi-mbumbulu.” Nansi indlela umhlaziyi wezomnotho uHazel Henderson akubheka ngayo: “Ukwaziswa ngokwako akusifundisi. Asikwazi ukuhlukanisa phakathi kolwazi olungamanga, ulwazi-mbumbulu, noma inkulumo-ze kuleli lizwe elibuswa imithombo yolwazi. Ukugxila ekwazisweni nje kuye kwabangela insada yolwazi oluluhlaza olungelona usizo, kunokuba kubangele ukufunwa kohlobo olusha lolwazi.”

UJoseph J. Esposito, umongameli we-Encyclopædia Britannica Publishing Group, uveza nanku umbono ongagwegwesi: “Ukwaziswa okuningi kwaleNkathi Yolwazi kuyasaphazwa; kumane nje kuyisiphazamiso. Amagama athi Insada Yolwazi ayafaneleka; lokhu kwanda kuthiya ikhono lethu lokuqonda noma yini. Uma singaqondi, ngeke sazi.” U-Orrin E. Klapp uveza umbono wakhe: “Ngicabanga ukuthi akekho owaziyo ukuthi yingxenye engakanani yokuxhumana komphakathi ewukwaziswa-mbumbulu, okuthiwa kusitshela okuthile kube eqinisweni kungasho lutho.”

Ngokuqinisekile uzokhumbula ukuthi imfundo yakho eningi esikoleni yayigxile ekufundeni amaqiniso ukuze ukwazi ukuphumelela ekuhlolweni. Ngokuvamile wawubamba izinto ngekhanda ngaphambi nje kwesikhathi sokuhlolwa. Usakhumbula ubamba ngekhanda uhla lwezinsuku ezifundweni zomlando? Zingaki kulezi zenzakalo nezinsuku osazikhumbula? Ingabe lawo maqiniso akufundisa ukusebenzisa ingqondo nokufinyelela eziphethweni ezinengqondo?

Ingabe Ulwazi Olwengeziwe Luletha Isimo Esingcono?

Uma kungalawulwa ngokucophelela, ukushisekela ukuthola ulwazi olwengeziwe kungabangela ukulahlekelwa yisikhathi, ubuthongo, impilo, ngisho nemali. Ngoba, nakuba ulwazi olwengeziwe luvula amathuba engeziwe okukhetha, lungenza olufunayo akhathazeke, ezibuza ukuthi ukuhlolile noma ukuhlaziye konke yini ukwaziswa okutholakalayo. UDkt. Hugh MacKay uyaxwayisa: “Eqinisweni, ulwazi aluholeli ekwazini. Ulwazi lulodwa alusikhanyiseli ngenjongo yokuphila kwethu. Ulwazi aluhlobene nokuthola ukuhlakanipha. Empeleni, njengenye impahla, lungathiya ukuhlakanipha. Singagcina sesazi izinto eziningi kakhulu, njengoba nje singaba nezimpahla eziningi kakhulu.”

Ngokuvamile, abantu abacindezelwa ulwazi oluningi olutholakala namuhla kuphela kodwa bakhungathekiswa nawukuzama ukushintsha ulwazi lube okuthile okuqondakalayo, okuyinzuzo nokufundisa ngempela. Kuye kwaboniswa ukuthi singase “sifaniswe nomuntu owomile okufanele aphuze amanzi ngokhezo kumpompi wamanzi okucisha umlilo. Ubuningi bolwazi olutholakalayo kanye nendlela olwethulwa ngayo ngokuvamile kulwenza lube olungenalusizo kithi.” Ngakho, ukuthi ulwazi lwanele akumelwe kuhlaziywe ngobuningi balo, kodwa ngokuthi izinga lalo linjani futhi luwusizo kangakanani kithina ngabanye.

Kuthiwani Ngokudluliselwa Kolwazi?

Enye inkulumo evamile namuhla “iwukudluliselwa kolwazi.” Lokhu kubhekisele ekudluliseni ulwazi ngemishini. Nakuba lokhu kunendawo yakho ewusizo, akukhona ukukhulumisana okuhle ngomqondo ophelele. Ngani? Ngoba sisabela kangcono lapho sixhumana nabantu ngokuqondile, hhayi ngemishini. Lapho kudluliselwa ulwazi ngemishini, akukho zici zobuso ezibonakalayo nokubukana emehlweni noma ukushukuma komzimba, okuvame ukwakha ingxoxo futhi kuveze imizwa. Lapho sixoxa nomuntu ubuso nobuso, lezi zici zinezela emazwini esiwashoyo futhi ziwenze acace. Lezi zinto eziyigugu ezisiza ekuqondeni azikwazi ukudluliselwa ngemishini, ngisho nalapho kusetshenziswa ucingo oluphathwayo oluthandwa kakhulu. Ngezinye izikhathi, ngisho nokuxoxa nomuntu ubuso nobuso akukudluliseli ngokunembile lokho umuntu akucabangayo. Olalele angase ezwe futhi aqonde amazwi ngendlela yakhe siqu futhi awanikeze incazelo enganembile. Yeka ukuthi likhulu kangakanani ithuba lokuba lokhu kwenzeke lapho okhulumayo engabonakali!

Kuyiqiniso lokuphila elidabukisayo ukuthi isikhathi esiningi abanye abasichitha phambi kwe-computer nethelevishini ngezinye izikhathi senza amalungu omkhaya angazani phakathi emakhaya.

Ingabe Wake Wezwa Nge-technophobia?

Elithi “technophobia” limane nje lisho “ukwesaba ubuchwepheshe,” kuhlanganise nokusebenzisa ama-computer nemishini efanayo yobuchwepheshe. Abanye bakholelwa ukuthi lokhu kuphakathi kokukhathazeka okuvame kakhulu okubangelwa inkathi yolwazi. Isihloko esithile kuyi-Canberra Times, esasisekelwe embikweni we-Associated Press, sasifundeka kanje: “Abaphathi BaseJapane Besaba Ama-computer.” Kwashiwo lokhu ngomqondisi ophethe inkampane enkulu yaseJapane: “Unegunya nesithunzi. Kodwa ake umbeke phambi kwe-computer, uvalo luvele lumqede.” Ngokomphumela wokuhlolwa kwezinkampane zaseJapane ezingu-880, abaphathi bazo abangamaphesenti angu-20 kuphela ababekwazi ukusebenzisa ama-computer.

Ukwesaba ubuchwepheshe kwandiswa izinhlekelele ezinkulu njengokuphuka kwesimiso sezingcingo ngo-1991 eNew York City okwaphazamisa izikhumulo zezindiza zendawo amahora amaningi. Futhi kuthiwani ngengozi eyenzeka eSikhungweni Samandla Enuzi saseThree Mile Island e-United States ngo-1979? Kwathatha amahora amaningi abucayi ukuba abaqondisi balesi sikhungo baqonde okushiwo izinhlaba-mkhosi ezilawulwa ama-computer.

Lezi yizibonelo nje ezimbalwa zendlela ubuchwepheshe benkathi yolwazi obuye bathinta ngayo isintu. Encwadini yakhe, uDkt. Frederick B. Cohen ubuza lemibuzo eshukumisa ingqondo: “Ingabe uke waya ebhange muva nje? Uma ama-computer abengasebenzi, ubungakwazi yini ukukhipha imali? Kuthiwani ngesitolo? Ingabe babengakudedela uhambe ngaphandle kwama-computer okubala izimpahla ozithengile?”

Mhlawumbe wake wabhekana nesinye salezi zimo ezicatshangelwayo:

• Umshini wakho omusha odlala amakhasethi e-video (VCR [videotape recorder]) ubonakala unezinkinobho eziningi kakhulu njengoba ufuna ukukhetha uhlelo ozoluqopha. Ngokuzithoba ungase ubize umshana wakho oneminyaka engu-9 ubudala azokucuphela i-VCR noma unqume ukuthi awusafuni ukulubona lolo hlelo.

• Udinga imali ngokuphuthumayo. Ushona emshinini oseduze okhipha imali kodwa ngokungazelele uyakhumbula ukuthi mhla ugcina ukuwusebenzisa, wadideka futhi wacindezela izinkinobho okungezona.

• Kukhala ucingo ehhovisi. Lufakwe kuwe ngephutha. Lolu cingo olomqashi wakho osehhovisi elingaphezulu. Kunendlela elula kakhulu yokuludlulisa, kodwa ngenxa yokuthi awuqiniseki, unquma ukulubuyisela kobamba izingcingo ukuze aludlulise.

• Ideshibhodi yemoto yakho entsha injengegumbi labashayeli lendiza yamuva. Ngokungazelele, kukhanya isibani esibomvu, futhi uyakhathazeka ngoba awazi ukuthi lesi sibani sisho ukuthini. Khona-ke kudingeka ubheke incwadi yeziyalezo enemininingwane.

Lezi izibonelo ezimbalwa nje zokwesaba ubuchwepheshe. Singaqiniseka ukuthi ezobuchwepheshe ziyoqhubeka zisungula imishini eyinkimbinkimbi, ngokuqinisekile abantu bezizukulwane ezidlule ababeyothi “iyisimangaliso.” Umkhiqizo ngamunye omusha othuthukisiwe othengiswayo udinga ulwazi olukhulu ukuze usebenze ngokuphumelelayo. Izincwadi zeziyalezo, ezibhalwe ochwepheshe ngolimi lwabo lobuchwepheshe,a ziyesabisa nazo lapho kucatshangwa ukuthi ozisebenzisayo uyaluqonda lolu limi futhi unolwazi namakhono athile.

Umhlaziyi wokwaziswa uPaul Kaufman ufingqa isimo ngalendlela: “Umphakathi wethu unolwazi, okuthi nakuba luyenga, ekugcineni lungazuzisi. . . . Esinye isizathu siwukuthi kuye kwagxiliswa ukunaka okukhulu kuma-computer nasezinsimbini zawo ngaphezu kwabantu empeleni abasebenzisa ulwazi ukuze baqonde izwe futhi benzelane izinto eziwusizo. . . . Inkinga ayikhona ukuthi siwadumisa kakhulu ama-computer kodwa kunalokho sesibabukela phansi abantu.” Kubonakala sengathi ukushisekela ukuzuza udumo lokukhiqiza imishini yobuchwepheshe emisha ekhangayo kuye kwashiya abantu bekhathazekile ngokuthi kazi yini ezolandela. U-Edward Mendelson uthi: “Abantu abanamaphupho obuchwepheshe abasoze bawuqaphela umehluko phakathi kwalokho okungenzeka nalokho okufiselekayo. Uma kungenziwa umshini owenza imisebenzi eyinkimbinkimbi, khona-ke umuntu onamaphupho ucabanga ukuthi lowo msebenzi kufanele wenziwe.”

Yilokhu kushaywa indiva kwezici zobuntu kwezobuchwepheshe okuye kwandisa ukukhathazeka okungaka ngenxa yolwazi.

Ingabe Ikhono Lokukhiqiza Liyathuthuka Ngempela?

Ebhala kuyi-Australian, umlobeli wephephandaba uPaul Attewell uphawula ngokucwaninga akwenza ngokuthi ama-computer aye onga isikhathi nemali engakanani eminyakeni yamuva. Nanka amaphuzu akhe ambalwa acacile: “Naphezu kokuchitha iminyaka eminingi efaka imali ezimisweni zama-computer eziklanyelwe ukusingatha imisebenzi yokuqondisa nokunciphisa izindleko, amayunivesithi namakolishi amaningi athola ukuthi izisebenzi zawo eziphethe umsebenzi ziyaqhubeka zanda. . . . Sekungamashumi eminyaka abenzi bama-computer begomela ngokuthi ubuchwepheshe ababuthengisayo buyoletha intuthuko enkulu ekhonweni lokukhiqiza, benze ukuba umsebenzi othile wokuqondisa wenziwe izisebenzi ezimbalwa ngezindleko eziphansi. Kunalokho, njengoba siqaphela, ubuchwepheshe bolwazi buye bashabalalisa imizamo yabantu: izinto eziningi ezintsha zenziwa inani lezisebenzi elifanayo noma elingaphezulu kunokuba umsebenzi ofanayo wenziwe izisebenzi ezimbalwa. Ngokuvamile, akukho mali eyongiwayo. Esinye isibonelo salokhu kushabalala kwemizamo siwukuthi abantu basebenzisa ubuchwepheshe ukuze bahlobise izincwadi kunokuba bamane bakhiqize umsebenzi ngokushesha.”

Manje kubonakala sengathi i-Internet, engaba yingozi kakhulu kumaKristu, iyohlala ikhona. Kodwa singakugwema kanjani ukukhathazeka ngenxa yolwazi—okungenani ngezinga elithile? Sinikeza ukusikisela okumbalwa okuwusizo esihlokweni esilandelayo esifushane.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 6]

Ukunqwabelana Kolwazi Olungenalusizo

“Umphakathi, njengoba sonke sazi, uyaqhubeka uba iziwula. Sibhekene nokwanda kwezinhlelo ze-TV ezonakele, izinhlelo zomsakazo ezisakaza inzondo, abasakazi abashaqisayo, ukumangalelana ngamacala, amadelakufa afuna udumo, ubuciko obunobudlova kakhulu nobubhuqayo. Amafilimu ayaqhubeka eveza ubulili obuyingcaca nobudlova. Ezokukhangisa ziyisiphazamiso, zihlasela ngokwengeziwe, futhi zivame ukuba sengcupheni yokunenga abantu . . . Inhlamba iyanda, futhi isimilo asisekho. . . . Lokho abanye abakubiza ngokuthi ‘inhlekelele yezindinganiso zomkhaya’ kuhlobene kakhulu nokushintsha kolwazi ngaphezu kokuntula kweHollywood inhlonipho ngelungiselelo lomkhaya elingokwesiko.”—Data Smog—Surviving the Information Glut, kaDavid Shenk.

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 7]

Ukuhlakanipha Kwasendulo

“Ndodana yami, uma wamukela amazwi ami, uzibekelele imiyalo yami, ukuze ubeke indlebe yakho ekuhlakanipheni, uthobisele ekuqondeni inhliziyo yakho, yebo, uma ukhala ngengqondo, uzwakalisa izwi lakho ngokuqonda, uma ukufuna njengesiliva, ukuphenya njengamagugu afihliweyo, khona uyakuqonda ukumesaba uJehova, ufumane ukumazi uNkulunkulu. Ngokuba uJehova uyanika ukuhlakanipha; emlonyeni wakhe kuphuma ukwazi nokuqonda. Ngokuba ukuhlakanipha kuyakungena enhliziyweni yakho, ukwazi kube-mnandi emphefumulweni wakho. Amasu ayakukulinda, ukuqonda kukugcine.”—IzAga 2:1-6, 10, 11.

[Isithombe ekhasini 9]

Insada yolwazi ifaniswa nokuphuza amanzi ngokhezo kumpompi wamanzi okucisha umlilo