There even seems to be an exception as regards man’s inner world, in that a man can be in mental place X, whereat he has no knowledge of algebra, but then through a study of the subject, can become knowledgeable therein, and move to new place Y. (Again, you must be attentive, or that bandit bus will whiz right by you as you continue to stand throughout eternity at the imaginarily marked stop with that worn out woof ticket clutched hopefully in your hand.)
A bad tempered man will still be bad tempered, even after he learns algebra. Having new facts will not change what a person is, yet people continually pass obviously counterfeit assurances to themselves, and others regarding how the acquisition of new knowledge will produce a profound, and permanent change in them. Again, the mind is fully aware that this is not so, but not being set up to deal with it head on, deals with it as otherwise noted.
There is a daily increasing library of knowledge, devoted to teaching a person the truth-about-things; about how to awaken from a dream and be enlightened; how to go from being confused about the nature of man and life, to understanding it all. These instant writings, an example, but they have just the opposite result.
There are people at this very moment who have abandoned the comforts of everyday life and companionship, and reclused themselves in silence. On far away mountain tops they study the ten thousand manuscripts on hand which are believed to contain the complete secret to achieving the great-understanding.
While those naturally attracted to such a milieu will naturally find it entertaining-passing-as-rewarding, such activity – devoted to such a goal – is pouring water on a drowning man. As always, to make all of this personally pertinent, apply it to the activity in your own head.
J.