As a character from a show, "The Boondocks," once said, there are known knowns, and there are known unknowns. And then there are unknown unknowns, things we don't even know we don't know (technically this quote is actually from a previous US Secretary of Defense but who really cares). The quote harshly contrasts with the satirical nature of the show, and because of that it has stuck with me since I first heard it. In our lives, all three knowns/unknowns can be applied. There are things we know for sure, such as what we ate for breakfast this morning and what our second block class is. Then there are known unkowns, such as what I am getting for lunch today or where I'm going to college. I can't even list the unkown unknowns because I don't even know what they are! However, this is what makes discovery so fascinating. We need to have unknowns in our life, and more than that, we need to choose the unknown option over and over to enrich out life. Although taking "the path well worn" is a good way to guarantee safety and mediocrity, the pursuit of the unknown is what gives our lives meaning and what human nature begs for.

Firstly, there are many who prefer the comfort of the "known" over the risk of the unknown. I myself could be considered part of these people at times. When thinking of college, my parents, who have engineering and business degrees, asked me to consider their paths and how it might benefit me. Specifically, my mom, who is an accounting professor at the U of M, told me that business was a sure way to provide financial stability in the future for "those without passion." I thought that specific quote was pretty funny. Although I was not pushed to follow in my parents footsteps, when presented the option I felt the pull of safety: the known, the promise that "we've tried this before and it worked." Every person who may call themselves human has felt this before, whether it's doing the same extracurriculars as an older sibling, or joining a club because your friends told you to, or even choosing "easy" AP classes. These options are safe ways to succeed, albeit not stemming from your own passion. It's tempting from the way I've MASTERUFLLY phrased my counterargument, but consider the alternative. Consider going down a different path in which you take that hard AP class because you love the subject, or joining a club you might not have friends in, but truly enjoy. A path in which you're not sure what the end result is, but the risk is worth the success of finding something you love to do and living a fulfilled life with meaning. Going back to my own college thoughts, I stepped away from the thought of being a business major and am currently deciding on career paths that no one in my direct family has gone down, music and biology. It's a route that has twists and turns I am not yet aware of, but that is the risk of the unknown we all must be willing to take. The unknown calls for me, and I will not refuse.

Furthermore, the pursuit of the unknown is human nature and directly correlates with achievement, self discovery, and passion, things that all build a fruitful life. Every single thing we know today as common fact was once under the category of unknown. Think of our basic knowledge of sciences that every high schooler knows on a surface level. The water cycle, photosynthesis, cell biology: these weren't just things we suddenly realized one day. No, they came from brilliant scientists dating back centuries that were brave enough to stray from the knowns of their own time to carve new paths, paths that in the modern day are now considered knowns. All knowns were started by people willing to explore the unknown in the pursuit of their own passion, growing it along the way as well as their status, merit, and even what they knew about themselves. Now bringing it back to the modern day, to stick with the same knowns that our forefathers knew is to spit in the face of advancement and hand over that task to others. If we were all to stick to what was safe, growth in every field would wither. Think about what unknowns today may be expanded on in the future and take their place as common knowledge. Rejecting your own potential so that you may continue to leave it in slumber is an offense to the very ideals of the human race: expansion, conquest, innovation. If the scientists of today chose to give up their pursuits for the comfy lifestyle, we would never inherit our birthright of the stars. If the athletes of today decided they no longer wanted to break records the sports scene would crumble. If the musicians of today chose to go back to Bach and Mozart only, instead of composing new music truly expressive of their own lives, art as we know it would come to a standstill. That is why the unknown is beautiful, why it is so important to the thriving of the human race.  

The unknown is the path of passion, of discovery, and of bravery. The known is the path of mediocrity. To continue to walk on the aforementioned "path well worn" is to reject your greatness and become just another face in the crowd. Go follow what you love, even if it scares you! Even if you wake up every day wondering when your sacrifice will result in success, remember that it is infinitely more fulfilling than to live a life that isn't yours. Even if you chase after your dreams and fail, remember that there is no greater failure than inaction, than never trying in the first place. To phrase it simply, the known is for the sheep, the unknown is for the lion.