Some dude on the instagram dropped some wisdom. I don’t know if he’s a decent human or not, and I really should probably verify before I spread his stuff, but it spoke for itself in a way, and it had that addictive quality of being the complete set of guidelines for life.

One that I loved the most was #3: normalize the phrase “I don’t know.”

If you don’t know about something, you don’t have to have an opinion. You don’t have to make much sound beyond a “I don’t really know anything about that.” You could notice any resistance or resentment you feel, and then double down on curiosity. That is truly a power move and deeply generous thing to do, to yourself, and to others.

We live in a world that is very hostile towards vulnerability. It’s called patriarchy, and it’s best described as power-over system, or a system of domination. The essence of it, is that it centres power, over all other things.

I want to live in a life and care centring system. An eco-logical system.

And I’m trying to shift things within and around me, towards that priority.

And it’s good to notice, when something arises out of the domination system.

Not feeling safe to be vulnerable, or to express your vulnerability, is part of it. And so, people do a lot of things to insulate themselves from that exquisitely uncomfortable sensation. They pretend they are experts. They pretend they know everything. They double down on what they do know, even when all evidence points to the contrary. They try to make more and more money so they don’t have to every ask for favours, wait in a line-up or risk missing out on something, and can buy whatever they need. These are all legitimate protective measures in the thick of a power-over domination system, where a revelation that you don’t know something will incite bullying, teasing, mocking, or demotions.

So, it takes having back-up. If you’re going to acknowledge vulnerability, in a fundamentally predatory system, you need to have a protective circle, someone at your back. Someone who says, you know what, I want to live in a care and life-centring system too, and that actually requires us to be vulnerable with each other, and show our true selves, and that ultimately strengthens the entire system.

What does this have to do with literacy?

Well, I think of literacy as learning to be an agent in your own life. At its smallest, it’s knowing how to read the symbols that construct our written language, so you can understand what’s at stake, and make choices that work for you. At its largest, it means being confident enough to be a learner, to have a growth oriented mindset, to explore new information, integrate it, ask for help, pass it on. It is essential to a functioning community. It’s very helpful to a highly hierarchical system when many people are not literate in how to flex into their own agency, whether by reading, knowing how to renew a WB Sea to Sky pass, knowing when and how to protest or understand the financials or navigate a consumer complaints system.

These 30 suggestions that Decoda Literacy Solutions have put together seem really sweet and simple – why not do a jigsaw puzzle with a friend or make a budget or start a bookclub or listen to some live music. But really it’s revolutionary. It changes the entire dynamic of the world, when people are out seeking beautiful and empowering ways to navigate and enjoy their lives.