Courage.

So knowledge is experience. But not only that: it's mistakes, accidents, and stories that can result in laughter, connections, and memories. Knowledge isn't all bad: if you went to a restaurant and had excellent service, you discovered a good experience. Now you have the knowledge that this is an awesome restaurant. You wouldn't have gained that knowledge if you never tried it.

This brings us to Point #2 of Knowledge:

Knowledge requires courage.

Although the Old Spice commercials may tell you differently, courage doesn't require you to immediately run out and try to wrestle a dinosaur at the edge of a volcano that's about to erupt. But it does ask you to step out and try something new. You may not like it. You might fall in love with it. Real gentlemen aren't afraid to try new things, because they know it expands their horizons. It gives them more knowledge that they can apply to their work, their relationships, and their lives in general. Without courage, we wouldn't have some of the best products on the market today. We wouldn't have some of the up-and-coming eco-friendly plans that are on the way. It took someone with courage to step out and say, "Let's try doing it this way." That can be a scary thing. You face down dozens sets of eyes to show them that things can change.

Gentlemen make a difference.
Are you ready to do that?

Part One: Knowledge

They say that a house without a library is without a soul. Knowledge is one of the greatest things that anyone can have, and gentlemen have an abundance of it. This doesn't mean that you need to know every last detail about every topic - in fact, you don't have to know every single topic. There are a lot of different things to know in the world, from basket-weaving to African languages, motorcycle repair to piano playing, and photography to building construction. The world doesn't expect anyone to know absolutely everything - otherwise, there wouldn't be anything to discuss. I split up all there is to know into two categories: knowledge and learning. Learning qualifies as anything you'd find in a schoolbook. For example, classical paintings, history dates, and what chemicals you can mix together safely are subjects examined in schools, colleges and universities. Knowledge, however, is different - it uses systems and things that you have to do in order to know what happens. How to paint a picture or being there during a particular moment of history are both samples of knowledge.

However, knowledge isn't all boring. Whereas learning tells you what chemicals to mix together for a safe effect, knowledge can tell you what causes an explosion. Learning and knowledge are two sides of the same coin: whatever learning shares, knowledge masters the opposite. Making mistakes helps you learn because you own the knowledge of whatever act you committed. This is actually a good thing - making mistakes is usually not encouraged, but it gives you tools you need to understand what to do next time.

Knowledge is important for gentlemen because it builds credit. Just like a good thief has street smarts, knowledge outfits gentlemen with everything they need to begin discussions about things. If you've blown up something with a bad chemical mix, it makes a good story. Stories bring people together, and are remembered. While blowing something up might not be how you want to be remembered, people will remember that you've had experience with chemicals, and you could become the expert in their eyes. Remember, a true gentlemen doesn't flaunt his knowledge, but imparts it gracefully. However, that's for another post.

Welcome to becoming a gentleman. Your adventure has only just begun.

A Brief Introduction

Earlier I mentioned the three parts of being a gentleman. You'll soon see that I've divided these three qualities into three sections of the book. One by one, the points will be introduced, and several characteristics will be discussed after that. Once all three points have been revealed, you'll be well on your way to gentlemanliness.

Are you ready?

Good luck.