What is IOKN2K?

January 1, 2020

IOKN2K! is D-Lab’s memo and motto has been for a while now. You might have seen it on a t-shirt or two (we hope…)

Many have asked what IOKN2K! means. And it’s time to officially answer that question. IOKN2K! is an acronym and it stands for It’s OK Not To Know! And like every other meme, it means more than its acronym.

IOKN2K! means is that D-Lab is a place to feel comfortable asking questions; D-Lab is a place to learn the skills that you don’t have yet; D-Lab is the place to come when you think you were supposed to have known it a long time ago but now you don’t and you don’t want your advisor to know you don’t; D-Lab is a place to get onto the on-ramp to the superhighway of data intensive social science without someone honking their horn at you.

Despite the snappy social media tone, it represents an age-old cultural philosophy. It’s not a new idea. Let’s start with Socrates. Socrates was a greek philosopher circa 400 BC. Without Socrates, we might not have western philosophy as we know it. Think Plato and Aristotle. Think Community. Think the Socratic Method.

And think “Wisdom begins in wonder.” Yup, Socrates said it and at D-Lab we live it.

At D-Lab, IOKN2K! means “wisdom begins in wonder.” At D-Lab, IOKN2K! means bring your curiosity and questions here. At D-Lab, IOKN2K! means knowledge starts with curiosity and questions. At D-Lab, IOKN2K! means contribute to the creation of more knowledge through asking the questions and lots of them. At D-Lab, IOKN2K! means bring your wonder here. It’s an age-old meme, and we take it very seriously.

Bring your wonder to D-Lab. IOKN2K!