Knowledge vs. Ignorance

 Thesis Statement: When an individual develops an aversion to seeking knowledge, this could create a contentment with ignorance and a narrow-minded perspective, resulting in that individual’s inability to truly understand and form connections with others.

“Ignorance is bliss.” In truth, this really just means that if someone does not know about something, they do not need to worry about it.” For centuries, this ideal has been upheld, the belief that staying in the dark about a certain subject or matter can be beneficial. I disagree strongly with this. As of right now, in 2021, mankind is more interconnected and dependent upon each other than ever before. No longer do we have the luxury of, “Well, it is none of my business.” I find that it is an incredibly wrong mindset to adopt, that if something doesn’t affect us personally, there is no need to concern ourselves with or learn more about it. Ignorance, really, is an ugly quality to possess. And part of its great danger lies in its ability to cause complacency. It can be so comfortable, not knowing. Soon, that translates into not wanting to know. And then it becomes a way of life: it becomes as if we are all just walking around with paper bags over our heads, unseeing.

But think about it: with a paper bag over your head, what would communicating with someone else be like? Perhaps it could be done, but not agreeably. With the bag over your head, you are only really aware of your own comfy little space. If someone is trying to speak to you, you would either not notice at all or find it very difficult to respond. You wouldn’t be able to see anything, maybe not even hear. And that is exactly what ignorance is like: it boxes you in. It doesn’t allow you to see other viewpoints, and it deafens you to others’ words. As such, when it comes to truly connecting with and forming relationships with people, you alienate yourself when you allow ignorance to tighten its grip.

And it is this inability to understand others that halts any possible relations with other people. The possibility of narrow-mindedness worsens matters; because it is one thing to be ignorant, but quite another thing to begin to enjoy being ignorant, thus becoming closed off to anything outside that comfort zone. Even ignorant people don’t like ignorant people. Everyone wants to feel heard; everyone wants to feel like their perspectives matter. They want their views and beliefs and values to be accepted, acknowledged, or even just understood by those closest to them. And that in itself probably is the worst thing about ignorance: it has an uncanny repelling effect.

The only cure to the disease of ignorance is knowledge. It is with good reason that becoming informed and knowledgeable is often spoken of as being “enlightened,” whereas not knowing about or not being educated about a specific subject or matter is said to be “in the dark,” with that negative connotation latched onto it. Of course, breaking free of the shackles of ignorance and cultivating a desire to seek knowledge can be a difficult venture. But it will always be wonderfully rewarding; like stepping out of the dark into the light, as dramatic and cliché as that sounds. In addition, knowledgeable people are attractive. That isn’t necessarily meant purely in a romantic sense. People who are educated and informed and who strive to keep educating and informing themselves draw others to them. Why? They will hardly ever run out of subjects to talk about, for one. Also, it will be much easier for a knowledgeable person to form a rapport or common ground with someone else than it would be for someone who never educates themselves about anything.

Really, there is no excuse. Knowledge has never been as accessible as it is today. Centuries ago, people had to consciously look for specific books or congregate with experts and the like to gain insight on a matter. Now, all it takes is a few clicks on your phone to search something up. Search engines like Google and various social media sites are more prevalent than ever. These avenues, while hardly being traditional knowledge sources, can be shrewdly utilized to gain information and understand others’ opinions about specific subjects. Knowledge is uplifting. It’s like it gives you “a leg up” in the way you see the world; it gives you a better view. It adds to a person’s overall depth.

Knowledge is an advantage. Ignorance is a hindrance. I, for one, am someone who enjoys being in the know. And I do not believe that I am a control freak; I would just rather be prepared. This is a quality I personally possessed even since I was young. At the age of about six, my dad bought me a large, thick, heavy bright yellow book entitled 5000 Facts About Things. I distinctly recall absolutely devouring that book; I loved it so much that I went back to it over and over so many times that it happened on multiple occasions where my parents would be having a conversation about something and I’d just cut in with some random fact about it. There was something so safe, so protective, about knowing. I have always loved to know things. But because there is myriads more of what I don’t know in comparison to what I do know, the constant pursuit of knowledge has always been and will continue to be high on my priority list. Anyhow, I don’t believe that knowledge in general has to be so extensive or wide; just enough to keep you informed. And as I watch the world change and so many developments regarding so many different issues arise, I have come to the conclusion that the desire to seek knowledge and educate yourself are quite possibly two of the most important endeavors in life.

 

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IMAGE REFERENCES:

• https://in.pinterest.com/pin/164240717635382065/
• https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2017/5/15/15585176/motivated-ignorance-politics-debate
• https://www.groovehq.com/blog/building-knowledge-base
• https://en.shafaqna.com/20980/exclusive-interview-with-seyyed-mohammad-bahmanpour-on-faith-community-and-fighting-ignorance/
• https://veritusgroup.com/ignorance-in-major-gifts/
• https://slack.com/intl/en-ca/blog/collaboration/knowledge-sharing-is-caring
• https://www.information-age.com/how-design-workplace-tools-knowledge-sharing-styles-millennials-123460644/