Is Ignorance Truly Bliss?

By definition, ignorance is the lack of education on a topic. That equals lack of understanding, lack of position, and lack of fact. I ask this question—Is ignorance bliss?—today because I have come across a lot of people online recently (as I’m sure many have) that post articles that are completely inaccurate. This is becoming known as “click bait”.

Here, I present my case.

Exhibit A: 2012

My timeline was riddled with 2012 doomsday articles this week. People are preparing for the end based on what seems to be, very little evidence. Even the Doomsdayers can’t completely agree on what is supposed to happen. Originally, the theory was that in December 2012, earth and its people would enter a period of enlightenment. But that’s just not dramatic enough.

Now, it’s a period of death, destruction, disease, or any other fear factor that people selling bottled water and bullets can come up with. These people sharing inaccurate articles are ignorant to the real meaning of this point in time (as authored by the original Mayan culture). Then, for those caught up in the fear, they are ignorant in that they’re not really planning an emergency strategy. This either shows that they don’t truly believe in what they’re posting, or that they are complacent to their fears. Do you think that any of these people feel blissful, while laying in wait for the next fearful headline to come?

Exhibit B: Government Spending

The government of Canada spent money on a lot of causes and items that don’t make much sense. Here’s a few: Millions to bail out an AHL hockey team, thousands spent on converting a curling rink into an archery space, a million on re-building golf club sand traps, and more millions were spent for our governments to make videos about how to use bike lanes. 

Are you blissful knowing that your tax dollars go to issues you couldn’t give one-shit about? What about cutting all the really crappy programs, and lowering taxes? If we were all educated on government spending, we could fight for this on a united front, and likely win the battle. If your hockey team can’t sell tickets, close up shop. If you run a golf club, fix your own damn sand traps. Instead of wasting money on bike lanes, let people cycle on sidewalks and teach children manners, as well as etiquette. After all, bikers are less likely to interact with pedestrians than cars.

Exhibit C: The Right to Bear Arms

Those who are ignorant, are also those who read between lines. An investigator will say, “She didn’t do it, the evidence says she didn’t,” but those who think they know better say, “She’s kind of a bitch, so she probably did.” This same strategy is used amongst citizens of the US. The US Constitution states, “A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.”

That’s pretty clear. You have the right to keep a gun, and a right to use that gun if your safety, of the safety of others is violated. NO WHERE DOES IT SAY you have the right to store your gun unsafely, have a gun without proper licensing and background checks, operate while under the influence, or without proper instruction. Also, keep in mind the Constitution was written in 1787. That’s before semi-automatics, automatics, ordering on the Internet, the population was sitting around 3-million people, and, oh yeah, almost 100 years before slavery was abolished. Let’s add perspective. While the Constitution was being written, black people were whipped and treated less kindly than animals. 

The ignorance here is many-fold. First, why in the flying fuck do The People hold onto a document with such intensity that was written at a time when the authors couldn’t have even imagined the future as it is today? Why is it that The People govern themselves by a document that is connected to men that enslaved? Why does that one sentence give anyone the right to carry a gun to Walmart, and shoot someone for “looking shady”? Your ignorance towards the true meaning of your rights is scary, and leads to this, which doesn’t look like bliss to me.

Exhibit D: Voting for … Oh He’s Cute

My last piece of evidence before the court of public opinion, is voters who don’t vote based on any real research. If you remember grade school, when you didn’t know the answer, the safe bet was to pick C. That’s what some voters do. Their vote is placed based on some random article online, opinions of friends, looks, popularity, or even the tom tom’s beating in the street. 

To be clear on this point, as well: you are voting based on ignorance if this any of the above applies to you. I’d rather people that aren’t willing to educate themselves, don’t vote. I guess some people are just ignorant to how impactful the selection of government is.

I Rest My Case

Ladies and gentlemen of the Tumblr jury, I have but one thing left to say. If the ignorant are allowed to continue their ways, then just based on these 4 points, the end is coming and we shouldn’t be prepared, we shouldn’t really care about who we elect into office, and when we do, they should be able to spend whatever they want, and technically, if you ask for no onions at McDonald’s, but they give you onions anyway … you should shoot them.

No … ignorance is not bliss.