The Knowledge of Ignorance

"Hmm... I don't know, so... I'll just stay put."

A little while ago, I saw the news that Masumi Yagi of the comedy duo "Savanna," known for his signature gag "Can you hear me, people in Brazil?," had passed the Level 1 Financial Planner certification exam. I knew that both members of Savanna were highly educated, but it seems Yagi studied every day for two and a half years for this extremely difficult national qualification, which has a pass rate of around 10%, all while working in the completely different field of comedy. Amazing.

In a YouTube video (Shigeo Channel / [Savanna Yagi Style Level 1 FP] Future Investment Strategy!), when his partner Shigeo Takahashi asked him, "If you were going to invest now, what would you recommend?," Yagi answered, "I don't know," just like the opening line.

Hearing this line reminded me of All Kyojin, who retired as an M-1 Grand Prix judge because he "didn't understand modern comedy." The "I don't know" coming from someone who has "kept at it"—someone who has continued to perform on stage and watch young comedians'漫才 (manzai) for years—felt infinitely deeper than the "I don't know (what to write)" coming from me, a beginner on note who can't even keep up a daily post for three days.

Yagi must have also acquired a vast amount of knowledge by continuing to study for an incredible amount of time and volume. His "I don't know," answered sincerely after much thought, is trustworthy.

Having acquired the Level 1 FP certification, which is considered difficult even for insurance and financial professionals, it is expected that Yagi will receive more speaking engagements on asset management and the like in the future. However, he remained steadfast and kept saying "I don't know!" and "Stay put!" over and over. The more he says it, the more his speaking offers will likely decrease, but the more he says it, the more my respect for Yagi grows.

I felt like Yagi's heartfelt cry of "I don't know!" was reaching the people in Brazil, too.