Is knowledge really power?

My mind has been constantly occupied by one question recently: Is knowledge really power? This question has been on my mind because of a comment I heard from a group of "nerds"(I'll explain why I call them that). I was eating a quick lunch before heading to class as I happened to stumble upon a conversation these fellow colleagues of mine were having. It was impeccable timing on my part! They were having a discussion on athletes, and how undeserving they are of possessing power. I happen to be an athlete myself so this discussion was of great interest to me. I decided to get comfortable, and that sandwich I was ready to scarf down was no longer a necessity. I was going to take all the time in the world to eat my food and hear what these "intelligent" individuals have to say.

I obviously can't remember every word of the conversation but I can definitely remember the content. The statement that stuck out to me the most came from a young woman who said, "I can't stand jocks!(that's why I call them nerds). She went on expressing her feelings by saying, "they think they are so powerful, but they don't know anything! Knowledge is supposed to be power, and they don't know anything, so why are they so famous and have so much money?" I decided to keep my cool and avoid any confrontation, so I kept my composure and continued listening. The group continued to ramble on about how everyone needs to stop admiring athletes, or people who don't go to school, and should start looking up more to those individuals who complete many years of school and earn every dollar they receive because of their education. Now I can see can see where they are coming from, but I can completely disagree on another one of their points.

When answering the question is knowledge power, one has to define what power is first. It is clear that the young woman thought money and fame is what gives you power. That is completely false! It is a rotten misconception that so many have fallen prey to believing. Yes, there are many powerful individuals who could use benjamin franklins as toilet paper, but that is not what makes you powerful. And fame is just a result of power, but not everyone who is famous is powerful. So what makes someone powerful? Knowledge is the answer. But it's not the knowledge that the young woman at the table, and many other humans believe. There is admiration to be found in those who highly value their education and devote all their time to learning and gaining knowledge. But if that was the only way to have power, than there would be very few role models. It takes more than just attaining knowledge. The difference maker is how someone uses their knowledge. If you were to look at anyone today and throughout history that is known as a powerful person, not only did they have knowledge, but they knew exactly how to use their knowledge. This principle is analogous to a bank account. If one were to save up and store all the money they receive into a savings account and never touch it, what good is that money? Or if one were to store up money for a period of time and just blow it on something useless, what good is that money? Knowing how to spend money is what separates the rich from the wealthy. The rich have all the money but very rarely know what to do with it. It is the wealthy individuals who know exactly what to do with their money.

Here is a list of several individuals who are powerful in my eyes:
-Albert Einstein
-Andrew Jackson
-Princess Diana
-Bill Gates
-Walt Disney
-Thomas Edison
-William Shakespeare
-Bill Cosby
-Malcolm X

You may wonder what made me pick out these individuals? I could've listed many more people, but these great human beings all have something in common. Every single one of them dropped out of school. From elementary to high school. There are many more that could fit into this group but for the sake space and your time I will spare the list. This is just to prove to those who fall into the misconception of believing that following the outline of educational progression to the T is the only way you'll become someone of great power or influence, is not always the case.

Michael Jordan is an extremely powerful man. Many people(once again, like my friend at the table) may feel Michael is undeserving of such power. But he proves he has knowledge. He may not have read and mastered every textbook throughout his education, but he has knowledge in his craft. It is knowledge that the regular basketball player doesn't have or is aspiring to attain. It is the knowledge he has in his art that makes him great and powerful. Bill Gates sits at the top of one of the worlds largest monopolies not because he got his degree at harvard, but he has mastered the knowledge necessary for his field. Even Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G are men of great power in their field. So to my friends who entertained me with an unexpected experience at lunch, I thank you for making me engulf myself in one of the most profound statements out there. So with all respect to the founder of the quote, may I add my two cents and say that: Knowledge is power....IF you use it right.