Ilm vs. Jahl: Finding Humility in an Age of Instant Information

"The more you know, the more you realize you don’t know.”

In this episode, Burair and I sit down to dissect a masterpiece by Khumar Barabankavi:

“Had se badhe jo ilm to hai jahl dosto / Sab kuch jo jaante hain wo kuch jaante nahi.”

We explore how this single couplet perfectly bridges the gap between 20th-century Urdu poetry and the modern Dunning-Kruger effect. We discuss the "Ego Patch"—that dangerous phase in learning where a little bit of information makes us feel invincible—and why the TikTok algorithm is making us all feel like experts on topics we’ve only spent sixty seconds on.

In this conversation, we cover:

The Illusion of Mastery: Why information is cheap, but knowledge is earned.

The "Smartest Room" Fallacy: If you’re the smartest person in your circle, your growth has already hit a ceiling.

Winning vs. Learning: Why the ego prioritizes being right over being curious.

The Elegance of Poetry: How Khumar Barabankavi distilled complex human psychology into two powerful lines.

Whether you are a lover of literature or a student of psychology, this episode is a reminder that true wisdom doesn't lead to a louder voice, but a more humble heart.