Ignorance and you!

[Borrowed Time]

My workplace, being the philosophical cesspool it is, throws up these little quote's each day in the front entry. Today's is "Being ignorant is not so much a shame as being unwilling to learn." Which, unfortunately, got me thinking (or at least attempting to), because there's really nothing better to do here besides think, and stare at random objects. Why are so many people completely content with being ignorant and refuse to better themselves in areas that they know little in. I understand that everyone has their own niches and interests, but it's truly scary just how often I meet individuals who care about little to nothing in the day to day world besides what directly affects them in their own little bubble.

It is true that no one person can ever truly grasp or let alone know everything, even though there are some who claim as such (no naming names :cough, but aside from that do people have any pride any more in being able to intelligently hold a discussion about more then 1 or 2 topics? Is it that extreme apathy has become so ingrained into the common world culture? Or is it a deeper seeded issue of a breakdown of culture and cohesiveness in societies?

Which leads me to yet a second point. All too often I speak to my peers and the topic of "common sense" arises and quite commonly the classic cliche joke of "common sense isn't so common anymore." rears its ugly head. (four "commons" in one sentence, that had to break some universal grammar law somewhere) I've been just as guilty of said joke and could probably be lumped in with the point I'm about to make. Why do people so often assume that they themselves aren't part of the problem? If common sense is not so common anymore, who are we to judge that we're somehow excluded from that very rule (and rule is a word I use loosely in this situation)?

This mentality reminds me a lot of the friend in a group who never gets to hear their own posse talk about who the stupid one is of them because said posse is infact talking behind their back because they are the one they are all talking about.

Now, I know that I'm just a simple person who has a hard time wrapping his mind around a lot of psychology babble, etc., but I was curious what the Escapists views on these subjects were. Since, you know, this forum is the end all, be all of truth! Also, please, limit the flaming/insulting to peoples opinions. If you disagree with something someone (myself) has said, by all means express it, but be civil.

 

[Legion]

One word can answer all of your queries: Arrogance.

We don't like to admit we don't know everything or that others are more intelligent.

 

[ad5x5]

Apathy definitely plays a part.
Using politics as an example - why bother discussing politics in GB? The mainstream parties are all the same, left-wing, copies of each other so what's the point? If you try and talk about a fringe party you are dismissed as an idiot or worse.

Fear also plays a large part.
Using religion as an example - people are too afraid in this PC culture of offending someone's sensibilities, instead of wanting to challenge them and have a decent debate.

I enjoy trying to debate and discuss religion and politics with people - it's just finding similar minded people in this country that's the problem (Thank goodness for the escapist)

-A

 

[Cowabungaa]

I 100% agree with that first quote, there is nothing more annoying than someone being willfully ignorant. A friend of mine called everything animated (or without real actors) childish and worthless. She then refused to discuss this point, refused to learn about animated films like Graev of the Fireflies or anime series like Elfenlied, both definatly not childish. But no, she wanted to hold on to her ignorant opinion. That truly disgusts me, being so unwilling to learn and unwilling to change one's opinion.
The bottom line is: people should stop making so many statements and have an opinion at the ready, and should start asking questions.

 

[Maveroid]

I don't want to insult anybody,but I guess Religion plays a big role in the whole "Being Ignorant" or "Being closed minded" problem.
Like I said,please don't be offended, but for example many religious people don't want to listen to anyone talking about science,because they think that

scientists/people that are interested in science = non-believers and therefore dumb,and ignorant people that insult their way of life.

Well,I know that science and religion hate each other,but please people,TRY TO BE A LITTLE BIT OPEN MINDED!!
Nobody wants you to stop believing in god and the bible etc etc ,but please stop insulting people like me for being an atheist (WHICH IS BS BECAUSE I AM NOT AN ATHEIST),don't hate me for just thinking about something.

But living your life in ignorance isn't as bad as it sounds. I know many people that like being naive and just try to ignore things that could be described as "bad" (<-Although bad can be percieved differently,but thats another story.),so that they can live their happy life.

My opinion is that both of these types of people are intelligent in there own way,which therefore means that "common sense" is "common sense" if your opinion is supported by your declared guideline,for example,you can say that god watches us and protects us etc and insist that it's common sense because it's in the bible,eventhough the scientists think that thats just plain stupid and makes no sense because there is no real evidence for that!

So basically,there is no real ignorance,because everything in this world doesn't make sense and doesn't have to make sense,because our existence is absolutely unimportant and makes no difference. Summarized " everything is nothing,so who cares what a person you are ".


Sorry for my bad english =S

 

[doctorjackal777]

People just care less. You should read the stuff on NotAlwaysRight.com. Some of the stuff while still humorous gets me worried, like the people who never read signs because they can't be bothered and think they don't have to. People who think credit cards are just free money and if they throw the card away then they're not responsible for it any more and don't have to pay back any money.
These are people with jobs, people with families, people who are surviving well in the world, and I wonder how they hell they are.

 

[yeah_so_no]

One word can answer all of your queries: Arrogance.

We don't like to admit we don't know everything or that others are more intelligent.

Agreed.

I believe it was Aristotle (but I honestly am not sure; I'm totally blanking out and it might have been Socrates) who said "A fool thinks he knows everything, a wise man knows he knows nothing at all." People would rather think they know everything (so they don't need to learn anything else) rather than admit just how little they know.

There's also the apathy factor. Have y'all heard of the Monkey Sphere [http://www.cracked.com/article_14990_what-monkeysphere.html]? Basically, unless it directly impacts someone, people don't care. I found out about the Monkey Sphere last winter, when I was talking to someone about the Israeli attack on Gaza, and she cut off me off with, "I know this matters to you, but unless it directly involves me, I don't care. MONKEY SPHERE. La la la, I don't care." I was completely flabbergasted that someone could not care that much, to the point of not even doing the courtesy of listening to the friend telling you about it because it obviously mattered to them (I listen to a lot of shit my friends tell me that I personally don't care about because I know they do care (j-rock=me not caring), and I admit to being royally cheesed off at not getting the same courtesy). Who care about the world around you! Monkey sphere, LALALA! Ugh.

There's a reason why the expression "Ignorance is bliss" and "Shiranu ga Hotoke" (Ignorance is Buddha) exist.

 

[Sparrow]

Being ignorant allows you not be hurt.

It's that simple.

 

[Charli]

Me? I loves me a fresh bowl of ignorance. Sometimes I think I DO know to much and frankly proving myself to a bunch of self knowing dicks is down low on my list of things to care about. We all learn and see things we wish we rather hadn't don't we... So why try and make it worse, in the face of importance to yourself and to the people we care for, we pursue learnings in what we need to, to survive and cope, and I think thats the great balance in the two.

I seriously will not go off and attempt to know the names of every man who ever invented an important invention, for the sake of knowledge. I learn what I need to and what interests me and that's all my brain can handle, if yours can handle even more, go nuts. But i'll keep to comfort, I will learn what I need to make my life less obstructive to those around me, thats fine, but don't go preaching crap when everyone makes mistakes, has a flawed memory, and on the grand scale probably equally ignorant of different areas of life. We all affect each other negatively somehow with our ignorance, but indeed it is not a crime, not learning from that once told, is.

Infact the internet boasts prime examples of this flip side of ignorance, Im willing to bet everyone here has been tricked/stumbled upon/clicked on, a site they rather hadn't.

 

[Nincompoop]

The brain is too much like a computer. There CAN be to much information. I really feel sometimes that I get worse and worse at things I like to do, because I have to concentrate about 5-6 classes in school that have no academic or personal interest. I would probably be called stupid, as I am completely unaware of what happens out there, besides what effects my little bubble.

There have been studies that show that learning many languages, or perhaps just knowing too much can dampen your creativity. I find that disgusting, now that I am an adult, that I might be much better at music, or mathematics (my interests), if I hadn't been forced 4-5 languages down my throat.

The school system is a fucking mess, and it would appear that the entire world is no different.

 

[BladeOfAkriloth]

I don't want to insult anybody,but I guess Religion plays a big role in the whole "Being Ignorant" or "Being closed minded" problem.
Like I said,please don't be offended, but for example many religious people don't want to listen to anyone talking about science,because they think that

scientists/people that are interested in science = non-believers and therefore dumb,and ignorant people that insult their way of life.

Well,I know that science and religion hate each other,but please people,TRY TO BE A LITTLE BIT OPEN MINDED!!
Nobody wants you to stop believing in god and the bible etc etc ,but please stop insulting people like me for being an atheist (WHICH IS BS BECAUSE I AM NOT AN ATHEIST),don't hate me for just thinking about something.

But living your life in ignorance isn't as bad as it sounds. I know many people that like being naive and just try to ignore things that could be described as "bad" (<-Although bad can be percieved differently,but thats another story.),so that they can live their happy life.

My opinion is that both of these types of people are intelligent in there own way,which therefore means that "common sense" is "common sense" if your opinion is supported by your declared guideline,for example,you can say that god watches us and protects us etc and insist that it's common sense because it's in the bible,eventhough the scientists think that thats just plain stupid and makes no sense because there is no real evidence for that!

So basically,there is no real ignorance,because everything in this world doesn't make sense and doesn't have to make sense,because our existence is absolutely unimportant and makes no difference. Summarized " everything is nothing,so who cares what a person you are ".


Sorry for my bad english =S

Don't wanna sound like a dick.... well who am i kidding, i do want to, whatever, a mate of mine once said something for which i will forever recognize him as a diplomatic genius (do not ask why). His statement was something like " science and religion are not opposed, quite the contrary. Science is the progressive discovery of God's work, for 2000 years ago you could hardly explain a peasant that the world is millions of years old, better tell him stories with morals which were big metaphors of the planet's natural history. The seven days of creation? the great periods of pre-history. Today, we have mentally evolved and can finally start to truly perceive the Lord's work".

i was astounded to say the least when i heard that.

 

[Borrowed Time]

One word can answer all of your queries: Arrogance.

We don't like to admit we don't know everything or that others are more intelligent.

So instead of being having pride in being able to even contribute to a discussion, people fall back to arrogance? That seems rather counter productive, considering I'd like think that pride and arrogance would be inter-connected. Although that is a very good point.

enjoy trying to debate and discuss religion and politics with people - it's just finding similar minded people in this country that's the problem (Thank goodness for the escapist)

But isn't it the differently minded individuals that sharpen us in debate? The ones that present a different argument and cause you to not only think on your toes, at least in a witty discussion, but explore and develop new paths in your own opinions?

I don't want to insult anybody,but I guess Religion plays a big role in the whole "Being Ignorant" or "Being closed minded" problem.
Like I said,please don't be offended, but for example many religious people don't want to listen to anyone talking about science,because they think that scientists/people that are interested in science = non-believers and therefore dumb,and ignorant people that insult their way of life.

True, it saddens me that so many religious people (me being religious myself) refuse to even hear a differing opinion, thinking that by doing so somehow means that they are invalidating their beliefs. That's the furthest from the truth. If people would actually take the time to have an open mind and sharpen their own ideals/beliefs upon any other, even those that are similar, let alone differing, then they would be better even in their own lives. If you are too afraid because you believe that someone's opinion will cause you to give up your own beliefs, you need to reevaluate what you believe anyway. Also, Maveroid, I at least hope that the fellow escapists here would see that you meant no offense by your comment. It was not an attack or anything similar, that is plain to see.

These are people with jobs, people with families, people who are surviving well in the world, and I wonder how they hell they are.

Social systems put in place by the government. =P Or not so incompetant family members. *shrug*

 

[kommando367]

I say let them be idiots and find that little fact out the hard way.

 

[Theissen]

[...] Why are so many people completely content with being ignorant and refuse to better themselves in areas that they know little in? [...]

Because they are.

If they have a good job, good family and fine friends, what more do you need in order to be happy?

I've frequently found myself asking why some people don't want to learn or devote themselves 100 % when studying. I came to the realisation that their ultimate goal is not knowledge but happiness. It's their decision, it's what makes them happy. I won't question their motives.

Having said that, my inner educator will attempt to convince everyone to study hard.

 

[Borrowed Time]

*snip super wall of text snip*

I guess that is part of my issue, the fact that the internet is so readily available now. Even though we have a tendency to specialize in our thoughts and lives, the information is easily attained at this point, it tends to combobulate (weeeeee) my mind as to why people, even if they don't have the information already bouncing around in their mind, wouldn't want to research said topic after the discussion at the very least. Yet apathy holds firm and many individuals "just can't be bothered". Especially when, at least from my elders point of view, the average individual in their day was far more self-educated with out such a resource as the internet.

 

[Borrowed Time]

Sometimes it leads to very dark place where your mind is crushed by the enormity of the cosmos and the...I'm sorry - that's for a different thread.

Oh pish posh (I love sounding 80). This thread now includes the crushingness (more epic wordage) of the enormity of the cosmos! Discuss!

The cosmos is big. It also crushes.

OT - Why must there be an either/or situation? Can't people have their happiness and improve it too? (mmmm cake) In most every case I can think of (granted I didn't think long and I've been awake for about 24 hours now), even if in the short term there would be pain, information in and of itself will lead to a better future. For example, say you learn a BF/GF is cheating on you, it would be painful, but it could very well lead you to breaking off said relationship and moving on to someone later down the line that's going to actually treat you with the respect/devotion you deserve. I understand that's a very odd example but, at least in my mind, it still works. Although, I digress, every society does need peons to fund the world machine (including myself *sigh*).

 

[New Troll]

"Being ignorant is not so much a shame as being unwilling to learn."

I disagree.

It's okay not to care, just don't make judgements based of it. That's true ignorance.

I don't care why a Harley is not what it's cracked up to be; just know I want one over all other bikes. But I will never claim it to be the best, cause that'd be ignorant of me.

Is it a shame I'm not willing to learn the difference in motorcycles? No, cause I don't care. It's my God given right not to.

 

[Dys]

Being ignorant allows you not be hurt.

It's that simple.

That, or to put it in a more generic, overquoted form "ignorance is bliss".

 

[pirateninj4]

I hate to be a balloon popping fuck, but Fear is the reason most people choose to remain ignorant. Fear that if they open their minds, they won't like what they hear, or see, or read. Fear that their lives will change, and this is the root of the problem. Fear of change has rooted the world in a perpetual state of ignorance.

Imagine that every religion, every opposing belief and every opposing political belief came to fully understand the other side, or the many other sides. They finally saw the good intentions and the ACTUAL beliefs that these people shared. Not the way the media presents it, or the way some dumb fuck heard about it from his dumb fuck friends. The way it ACTUALLY is. I believe that there would be more empathy/sympathy for these points of view, and instead of sticking fingers in ears and shouting "La la la la" we'd be more interested in debate because we could see that it's all pretty much the same ole crap.

 

[Borrowed Time]

I hate to be a balloon popping fuck, but Fear is the reason most people choose to remain ignorant.

How is stating that being a balloon popping fuck? Anyway, very good point, fear of change has been the root of too much bigotry and pain in history and in the world even to this day. Not only change, but of differences in and of themselves. Take racism for example, if people took the time to learn (once again ignorance, willfull ignorance this time.) that just because someone has a different culture or is a different color, they're just as human as the next on the list, then many problems would be solved right then and there. Alas, the idea that they would have to change the very beliefs that are ingrained in them that "oh noes they're different therefore they're bad." stops them.

Ok, my shift's almost over, and I'm off to carve up some Helboar's and get blind.

Damn you, I still have 2 hours left. Don't leave me aloooone. Plus I need to work on my JC daily still >_<.

OT - More cosmos crushiness.