Poll: Is ignorance bliss?

[The Stabilo Boss]

How important is the truth? Is it more important than happiness? Would you rather be happy and ignorant, or know the truth and be depressed?

Do you value the truth? If so, why? Do we desire the truth so that we can adjust our own actions accordingly, or does the truth itself have some inherent value?

Hypothetical situation: Lets say that somehow you could disprove Hinduism. Would you do it? Would you make millions of people unhappy in order to reveal the truth to the world? (I chose Hinduism because most people feel fairly neutral towards it).

We spent billions of dollars on the LHC to try to discover the truth about how things in the universe work. Why did we do that? Why didn't we spend that money on something else, like medical research? Is it human nature to seek out the truth before all else?

Me, I like the truth, but I don't think absolute truth is necessary at all times. I think ignorance can be bliss. But thats just my opinion, I'd love to hear what everyone else thinks about this.

 

[Ace of Spades]

I'd rather be happy and ignorant. I'm like the guy from the matrix who wanted to be put back into the system without remembering that world was actually a computer simulation.

 

[Arsen]

Intelligence is bliss.
The question is, what's "intelligent". That's the concept most people fail to grasp. They bring the word down to a negative level of depression, sorrow, and overall unhappiness.

 

[Eipok Kruden]

Not for me it isn't. I'd pick knowledge over ignorance even if knowledge is depressing. That's just the kind of person I am, always trying to learn new things. I'm fascinated about everything. To me, ignorance would be torture for I would not be actively learning.

 

[Neosage]

Bliss is ignorance.

 

[Avida]

Ignorance is bliss, but we dont want bliss.

 

[ThrobbingEgo]

Is ignorance bliss? I'm happy not knowing.

 

[runtheplacered]

Not for me it isn't. I'd pick knowledge over ignorance even if knowledge is depressing. That's just the kind of person I am, always trying to learn new things. I'm fascinated about everything. To me, ignorance would be torture for I would not be actively learning.

But if you were truly ignorant you wouldn't know that you're not actively learning. So it wouldn't bother you.

 

[Aardvark]

If the ignorant would kindly shut the hell up, I would experience bliss.

 

[runtheplacered]

I would say that not having anxiety is bliss. Ignorance is one possible conduit to achieve that. Releasing all of your cares would be another.

 

[Eipok Kruden]

Not for me it isn't. I'd pick knowledge over ignorance even if knowledge is depressing. That's just the kind of person I am, always trying to learn new things. I'm fascinated about everything. To me, ignorance would be torture for I would not be actively learning.

But if you were truly ignorant you wouldn't know that you're not actively learning. So it wouldn't bother you.

Well, I can't be completely ignorant and clueless like some people can, but I could still be ignorant, and it would be tortuous. I never understood how some people can just sit back and do nothing. Not even want to learn, just stay completely ignorant their entire lives and somehow manage to earn income and raise a family. It's completely beyond my comprehension. I mean, shouldn't all people at least want to learn? Or am I missing something?

 

[Zersy]

I'd rather be happy and ignorant. I'm like the guy from the matrix who wanted to be put back into the system without remembering that world was actually a computer simulation.

but then that gives the question on whats lifes purpose or whats your purpose since you know your happy but then why are you happy ? because if you know the truth then that could lead to a purpose but if you choose ignorance then that makes a purpose but that purpose is not real therefore it shouldn't really be thier

i hope i made sense on the comment because i think you made a pretty cool point

 

[Larenxis]

Bliss would be knowing everything and loving it anyway.

 

[MSORPG pl4y3r]

An intresting thread thank you for posting, I like ignorance is bliss myself I know, I'm a very knolagable person and am hardly ignorant, and that thought depreses me but than again I can always just turn a blind eye.

 

[timm123]

If ignorance is bliss, I'm the blissest person there is.

 

[Hippobatman]

If the ignorant would kindly shut the hell up, I would experience bliss.

Amen

 

[PatientGrasshopper]

Yes it is
I will tell you why, because the world is as sad and scary place and if you remain ignorant you will be happier however you will be perpetuating the problem.

 

[Easykill]

How the fuck is yes winning? Am I missing something? Ignorance is not,and can never be bliss. It just means you're unprepared for what's to come.

 

[fluffylandmine]

I'd rather know everything.

I'm like the guy from planet of the apes. Even if knowing deresses me, by learning how to love the world anyways, I come that much closer to bliss.

 

[The Stabilo Boss]

Wow, thanks for the responses everyone, I'm actually quite surprised that so many people voted yes. What about the people who voted no? Why is truth more important to you than happiness?