Poll: To Know, or to Not Know?

[thethingthatlurks]

Here's the story: I may have failed one of my classes, but the final grades haven't been posted yet. The lack of certainty is starting to drive me insane, yet it raises an interesting question. If I don't know the final grades yet, I can pretend everything is alright. Living in uncertainty can be acceptable at times, I suppose, but I can't live with it in the long term. Still, I am interested in what other people would choose: if presented a situation in which the truth can (doesn't have to be) awful, would you prefer knowing for sure, or is blissful ignorance enough for the time being?

 

[Jackpot524]

I'd want to know, uncertainty can be more painful than the certain truth. With the painful truth you can begin to cope, while with uncertainty you can dwell and speculate the worst, but never really know.

I'd look at anyone who has had a family member go 'missing' for that, uncertainty is definately painful. Though, not all situations are that serious mind you... but those are usually far more tolerable.

 

[everfreeDragon]

I'd rather know the truth than live having to worry about what it could be.

 

[SimuLord]

About 14 years ago I had a dream that I was diagnosed with HIV---and in a fit of the gods fucking with me, the diagnosis in the dream came split seconds before my alarm clock went off, and as I woke up and tried to separate reality from dreamland, I was right well out of sorts for...oh, the entire day. Especially since I'd just broken up with a girl after I'd found out she'd cheated on me with no less than three dozen different guys (seriously.)

That evening I went to the clinic and got tested (clean as a whistle---I clearly have a guardian angel or something!) But it taught me something about having a willingness to confront the consequences of my actions and know the truth.

 

[_Janny_]

There's a reason the saying "ignorance is bliss" exists. Anyone who's distracted from something unpleasant is happier than when focusing on it.

 

[TheNewDemoman]

Ignorance may be bliss.

But some **** really needs to be kept secret

 

[cp2u]

The longer you avoid an unwanted truth, the harder it will bite you in the ass later. better to know and act on it than to avoid it and pay later.

 

[voetballeeuw]

I was going to say ignorance is bliss, but when it comes to grades, uncertainty continuously gnaws at me until I'm sure about the result.

 

[thethingthatlurks]

I was going to say ignorance is bliss, but when it comes to grades, uncertainty continuously gnaws at me until I'm sure about the result.

Particularly if you have to take two more finals with the Damocles Sword of F hanging over your head, eh?

 

[Daverson]

Why would anyone care for the truth, when the lie is so beautiful?

 

[thethingthatlurks]

60% would rather know the truth than be happy and ignorant? I'm impressed...

 

[Hashime]

Here's the story: I may have failed one of my classes, but the final grades haven't been posted yet. The lack of certainty is starting to drive me insane, yet it raises an interesting question. If I don't know the final grades yet, I can pretend everything is alright. Living in uncertainty can be acceptable at times, I suppose, but I can't live with it in the long term. Still, I am interested in what other people would choose: if presented a situation in which the truth can (doesn't have to be) awful, would you prefer knowing for sure, or is blissful ignorance enough for the time being?

Funny story, I am about to fail Calc 1, yay! As long as it is the only course I fail I will not be turfed.

 

[CarpathianMuffin]

I'd say no, if only because knowing sometimes drives me crazy, and the ensuing panic attack can do horrible things to me.

 

[Cupid]

I'd rather know the truth, but if you have to wait think you passed until you know otherwise. It doesn't help to fret or worry over something you don't even know to be yet. Enjoy your time until you know for sure.

 

[thethingthatlurks]

Here's the story: I may have failed one of my classes, but the final grades haven't been posted yet. The lack of certainty is starting to drive me insane, yet it raises an interesting question. If I don't know the final grades yet, I can pretend everything is alright. Living in uncertainty can be acceptable at times, I suppose, but I can't live with it in the long term. Still, I am interested in what other people would choose: if presented a situation in which the truth can (doesn't have to be) awful, would you prefer knowing for sure, or is blissful ignorance enough for the time being?

Funny story, I am about to fail Calc 1, yay! As long as it is the only course I fail I will not be turfed.

Ah, don't worry too much about calc1, unless you are a math major. One of my TAs had to repeat it (or was it difeq? don't remember) twice, and he still managed to get his PhD in inorganic chemistry a few months ago.
So...found out I didn't fail. Still, the wait was excruciating. There is nothing worse than taking an exam while wondering whether the previous exam was responsible for costing you your degree and/or grad school admission.

 

[Arawn.Chernobog]

Reality, face it, regardless of the consequences.

 

[101flyboy]

It depends on the situation. Most of the time, I would choose the truth, because I am a believe in honestly, being forthright, and I can just know what I need to know, and get it out of the way and, if negative, either fix the situation or ignore it, and if sad, begin to cope and not potentially have it unknowingly thrown in my face in the future. However, some things you just don't need to know, because of the burden that could cause, like petty gossip, or if you accidently see maybe a neighbor cheating on their spouse.

 

[Thatguykalem]

Some people might be able to zone out of this kind of thing, and just forget about the problems and issues at hand, but I sure as hell can't. I'd choose to know the truth every single time, regardless of what the consequences were.

If I didn't know, it would just keep gnawing away at me, and it'd drive me insane. I wouldn't be able to relax, and I wouldn't be able to get over it.

I recommend that you find out the truth. You'll feel better for it, even if you did really badly.

 

[bassdrum]

Not knowing doesn't solve anything. I'd rather know what's up in any situation, because then you can try to do something about it. If you're ignorant of the problem, it's impossible to find the solution.

 

[The_Echo]

if presented a situation in which the truth can (doesn't have to be) awful, would you prefer knowing for sure, or is blissful ignorance enough for the time being?

What you've just described is how I feel about life. Moreover, what happens when life is over. I think I would prefer to know... if it were good. Which makes me even more unsure.

I'm not a very decisive man.