The Known, The Known Unknown, and the Unknown Unknown

In one of the darkest weeks in the history of the world, these words shed some light.

The phrase goes like this:

“… as we know, there are known knowns; there are things we know we know. 

We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. 

But there are also unknown unknowns—the ones we don't know we don't know. 

And if one looks throughout the history of our country and other free countries, it is the latter category that tends to be the difficult ones.”

These are the words of Donald Rumsfeld former US Secretary of Defense.

And prior to 10/7, the Hamas butchery of Israeli babies, grandmothers, brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers was an “unknown unknown.”

Who knew this kind of cruelty could exist in our modern world? 

I could not condemn these actions with more vehemence and disgust.

It’s been a week. 

The events in Israel have haunted my dreams and invaded my mind day after day since the day the massacre happened. 

In meeting after meeting. On project after project, I can’t not see these innocent kids running in the field at the desert concert as they are being shot at and chased by terrorists armed to the teeth and spewing evil.

Anger. Rage. Sadness. 

These are my feelings that run in direct opposition to my ordinarily optimistic nature.

And so I have struggled to figure out how I can help you. After all, that is the mission of this blog. 

So after writing three other vitriolic posts that I have since deleted, my brain with its resilient and resourceful synapses remembered Mr Rumsfeld’s accurate and evergreen observation about “the knowns.”

This surprisingly poetic and brilliant framework can help you assess any situation. 

Indeed as you chart your days and face your challenges and opportunities, within the situation, think about the things you know. 

But also think about the unknowns. What don’t you know? 

And, lastly, always be prepared for the unknown things that you really don’t know about that are out there. 

On October 7, 2023, the unknown unknown was a slaughter of sheer evil.

Those lives will never be replaced. 

Those blood-stained images will perennially be etched in our minds. 

The sadness will forever reside in our hearts. 

If there is any solace, it comes down to some other unknown unknowns. The unknown unknowns that could very well turn out to be miraculous. 

These are the unknowns that in our darkest hours are worth praying for and dreaming about.