How dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge?

My mum and I spent this Sunday afternoon sitting in a coffee shop sipping on winter warming lattes and enjoying orange and lemon muffins, and the conversation got round to family. I was telling her about a story I am writing about relationships and domestic violence, set in the 1940s and she was filling me in on details that I never knew about my family. My auntie is in the process of putting a family tree together and has found out some very interesting findingd to say the least! We got round to talking about how women of my nan's era had so little choice when it came to career, family and life in general; even my own mum had considerable less choice and opportunity than I have. In one of my previous posts I spoke about change and how I need a constant challenge in my life; this is something I hate about myself, but at the same time I thrive on it.

One of my favourite quotes, is from Mary Shelley's Frankenstein:

"Learn from me, if not by my precepts, at least by my example, how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge, and how much happier that man is who believes his native town to be the world, than he who aspires to become greater than his nature will allow"

Is it true that a man is happier if he believes that his native town is the world, happier than a man who aspires to become greater than his nature will allow? I sometimes think so. I sometimes wish that I could just be content with my lot. Most of my friends are married or in long term relationships and looking to get married/have babies. Me? I could have had this but on what terms? Unlike my nan, I have choices and do not need to settle for something that is not good for me. Of course, I can not wait to have my wedding day, to walk down the aisle towards my soulmate and hopefully be blessed with children, but I can have these things on equal terms. I do not need to marry for financial security or social acceptance, I can, I hope, marry purely for love and companionship.

My mum and I discussed how there is so much opportunity for young people today. My little sister is flying to Australia in December to travel and I live the other side of the country forging an independent life for myself; something that my mum, and certainly my nan could perhaps only dream of when they were in their twenties. There is, however a flip side to opportunity and choice - is there too much choice? Is it because I have so many opportunities open to me that I can not settle? Ironically, my future, my not too distant future, involves being settled in one place, a quaint little house, animals, children and of course a husband who loves, respects and cares for me as much as I do them.

Let's hope that I am happy as aspire for these things, for better things...