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  "path": "/2026/04/knowing-how-something-works-removes-fear.html",
  "publishedAt": "2026-04-28T03:57:46.470Z",
  "site": "https://blog.mikeriversdale.co.nz",
  "tags": [
    "wankel rotary engine",
    "how a car works",
    "Select Committee",
    "AoNZ Parliamen",
    "stars",
    "come to be",
    "2019 National Assessment Program – Civics and Citizenship (NAP-CC)",
    "Science doesn't always know",
    "you don't have to be an expert",
    "(subscribe/RSS)"
  ],
  "textContent": "It's a complex and intricate human universe and we have long passed the mythical time when one person could know how everything hung together.\n\n> Even in the earliest times, knowledge was specialized. Hunters, gatherers, elders, and healers within tribes held specific expertise that was not universal to all members. While life was \"simple\" in the sense of fewer technologies, it was never \"easy\" or fully understood; survival required constant adaptation, and daily tasks were structured.\n\nNot knowing about something can (but not _will_) lead to misunderstanding, openness to manipulation, and sometimes genuine fear, eek! Knowing how something works removes the fear, be that a car, a website, democracy, disinformation, the universe, or yourself.\n\nI am by no means a petrol head, just ask my mates, and before I thought to watch a few videos on YouTube I had absolutely no idea how a car worked. I knew you had to put certain fluids into certain holes and that a couple of pedals and buttons were key to making it take me to where I wanted to go, but that was it. I would drive around with an underlying anxiety of, \"what happens if the wankel rotary engine suddenly stops wankel rotating?\", I was buggered. I joined the AA of course but still, maybe I could save some money if I knew the basics, so I went off to find out - ohhhhhhhhhhh, that's what's going on, fair enough. I was instantly at peace with it all even though I had no chance of fixing anything and am still an AA member.\n\nKnowing how a car works is, perhaps, a small example. What about how your company works, or how the government / Government works, or how stars are born? Some knowledge is actionable the moment you know about it, how a Select Committee in the AoNZ Parliament works is a great way of feeling more able to influence big decisions. Some knowledge just gives you a sense of calm at being alive, stars are amazing but it's easy to know how they all come to be.\n\nI typed into Google the following, \"_what is it like for people that don't know how democracy works_ \"\n\n> For people who do not understand how democracy works, the experience can be characterized by profound disengagement, feelings of powerlessness, and vulnerability to misinformation. While many may still appreciate the concept of democratic rights, they often experience deep frustration with how the system operates in practice, according to Pew Research Center analysis in 2020.\n>\n> Based on research into political literacy and civic engagement, the experience for these individuals often includes:\n>\n> **1. Feelings of Powerlessness and Distrust**\n>\n>   * **Alienation** : Individuals may feel like \"pawns in someone else’s game,\" leading to a loss of faith in political institutions.\n>   * **Lower Trust** : A lack of understanding correlates with lower trust in government, which can lead to disengagement from the political process.\n>   * **Abstention** : Lower levels of civic understanding are linked to lower voter turnout, as individuals may not understand the relevance of their vote.\n>\n\n>\n> **2. Vulnerability to Misinformation**\n>\n>   * **Susceptibility to Misinformation** : Individuals without a foundational knowledge of how laws and policies are made are more prone to clicking on content that reinforces existing biases, making them susceptible to misinformation and disinformation.\n>   * **Conspiracy Theories** : In the absence of trust or understanding, individuals may gravitate toward conspiracy theories, which offer simple, often misleading explanations for complex issues.\n>   * **\"Do Your Own Research\" Phenomenon** : Lacking trust in expert opinions can lead to a \"post-truth\" world, where personal belief and popular narratives take precedence over evidence.\n>\n\n>\n> **3. Difficulty Engaging with the System**\n>\n>   * **\"Daunting\" Decision-Making** : For many, particularly young people, voting can feel \"daunting\" if they do not know how the system works, reducing their desire to participate.\n>   * **Ineffective Advocacy** : People with less civic knowledge are less likely to engage in effective advocacy, such as writing to local officials or participating in community consultations.\n>   * **Elite Manipulation** : An uninformed public is more susceptible to populist movements or leaders who may promise simple solutions to complex problems, which can sometimes weaken democratic structures.\n>\n\n>\n> **4. Polarization and Social Fragmentation**\n>\n>   * **Echo Chambers** : Without understanding how to critically evaluate different viewpoints, individuals may get trapped in social media echo chambers, where they are only exposed to extreme, one-sided content.\n>   * **Increased Polarization** : A lack of shared understanding leads to increased polarization, causing distrust not just in government, but among neighbors and community members.\n>\n\n>\n>  _According to 2019 National Assessment Program – Civics and Citizenship (NAP-CC) data, a significant portion of young people (62% of year 10 students in 2019) fail to meet the expected standard of knowledge regarding democracy, highlighting a large group of people who may face these challenges._\n\n__\n\nSounds a lot like what we're seeing in the US, UK, some parts of Europe, Australia, New Zealand and I'm sure many other places eh. All because people don't know how democracy in their country actually works and I'll be honest, it's NOT that difficult at all.\n\n**_CAVEAT!_**\n\n  * Not knowing something is ok - if it's important to you though then go find out.\n  * Science doesn't always know, but it's raison d'être is to keep asking.\n  * It's ok, you don't have to be an expert in every new gadget, tool, or service that comes at you.\n\n\n\n< 36: Live entertainment is best    38: Are you the problem? >\n\n(subscribe/RSS)",
  "title": "Knowing How Something Works Removes The Fear",
  "updatedAt": "2026-04-28T08:40:18.651Z"
}