Why Are People Willfully Ignorant?

[Godavari]

My personal philosophy is, and I'm not bullshitting here, that:

1) The true value of intellect cannot be understood by those who don't have it.
2) Obtaining a higher level of intelligence is its own reward.

Cliche, I know. But I live with it just fine. Honestly, I'll probably never need to know that there are 79 protons in an atom of gold. But damn if it isn't interesting.

 

[skullpile]

i blame it on the Christians

 

[Spleenbag]

This reminds me of that comic where there are five Ayn Rand fans on the same train.

"Look at these people. Glassy eyed automatons going about their daily lives, never stopping to look around and think! I'm the only conscious human in a world of sheep."

You see, it's funny because they are looking at the people around them and thinking the same.. Ah, well you are smart, you'll get it.

I am a fan of this strip as well. Although I hesitate to use the label "Ayn Rand fan" to describe them (I know that was the original title) if only because not everyone who's an Ayn Rand fan automatically thinks like her. (Me, for example: I love The Fountainhead but I don't subscribe to Objectivism).

Not a dig at you, just my two cents from my little "avoid conflict, accept viewpoints" philosophy.

 

[Headless Zombie]

This reminds me of that comic where there are five Ayn Rand fans on the same train.

"Look at these people. Glassy eyed automatons going about their daily lives, never stopping to look around and think! I'm the only conscious human in a world of sheep."

You see, it's funny because they are looking at the people around them and thinking the same.. Ah, well you are smart, you'll get it.

Spoiler: You mean..

This!

On Topic: I know what you mean. It just seems that people don't like to think, but when put to it a rather large amount of people can reason pretty well. Not speaking for all people but I've learned that there are some that are stupid in public, yet when in more secluded places they are rather eloquent and thoughtful.

 

[quiet_samurai]

But why are the jocks and whores popular? All of them are douchebags.

Because they talk about things most people at that age want to talk about. Sports, pop culture, music, stuff like that. Most kids at that age don't want to have lengthy intelligent discussions about politics and philosophy. They just want to take things easy. The jocks and the whores are good at that. Plus the more popular individuals usually tend to have charisma.

I also think it's because high school kids want to be "grown up" so badly. And to most high school kids being a grown up inviolves going out and drinking, partying, having sex, smoking, doing drugs and the like. Which is usually what the "popular" people do. It's just that kids on both sides of the popularity spectrum don't realize that those things are the privilidges of being an adult, not the reality. And when they get out into the real world they find out the truth.

 

[Cortheya]

I really don't experience that....Most of the people I ever see at my school are decently smart. Then again, I attend a charter school.

 

[I_LIKE_CAKE]

God, high school sucked. Just concentrate on getting to college and away from the general population.

 

[ShotgunShaman]

I'm guessing it's a high school thing, I fail to see how high school popularity will affect your life in 20 years. Don't worry about it.

And for your second question, at least where I live, academics get a lot of attention...

 

[Yanarix]

1) everyone is programmed to be a dick, that includes you.

http://www.cracked.com/article_16656_6-brainwashing-techniques-theyre-using-on-you-right-now.html

2) getting good at things takes effort.

 

[Space Spoons]

It gets better once you're out of high school. Just go with it for now. Those idiots you've been describing, this is the peak of their lives. Don't ruin their fun just because you've got a bit more depth than they do.

 

[la-le-lu-li-lo]

I'm going to say it's a cultivated media image. It's who our society idolizes, and who is seen as a figure to emulate.

Bingo!

Ignorance is bliss.

Yahtzee!

I'm not sure where the anti-intellectualism trend started, but I figure it won't stop.
Ever.

It's a vicious cycle.
People see jocks and whores are popular.
People want to be popular.
People become jocks and whores.

Cycle repeats.
Endlessly.

All of this pretty much sums up the answer to the OP's questions...
All I can add is that this is why modern culture fails at life. I should also add that intellectualism is far higher on my list than being popular, because honestly, what does being popular mean in life? Nothing. It's a completely worthless and shallow concept that undermines what it really ought to mean to be a real fucking person.

Whoa.
/rantiness

 

[Raven's Nest]

I just feel the need to point out there are so many different types of intelligence. Even the humble football jock has to make hundreds of decisions in a game. He has to use his spatial awareness, cognitive abillity, hand eye co-ordination, and maintain focus on the strategy of a game whilst playing a role in a team effort. Then add all his speed, agillity, stamina and strength into the mix all working in real-time and you have quite a capable human being (for playing football at least). A football game probably taxes on his brain more than he actually allows it to be taxed when say engaging in a political debate, because this is what stimulates him. He probably doesn't care about politics and this is fine. But he's going to be a much better football player than your average politician. We all find things that stimulate us mentally and I think it is unfair and quite simply ignorant to assume a persons intelligence based on what their interests are.

If he chooses to act like a dick after his big game, well frankly that's not your problem and you should concentrate on your interests instead of judging others on theirs.

 

[Livianicen]

Why would you want to argue with someone that obviously doesn't care about your argument? That's like punching a brick wall. It only makes you look like an idiot.

Some people like to take the easy way out and some of us like kicking water uphill. If you can argue with a person who doesn't want to argue, and get something out of it, you feel like you rub a bit of yourself on the world (aw crap sex jokes D. For some reason, it's a very comfortable feeling to know you "spread your knowledge" around, as bogus and ridiculous as it may be. To persuade people is nice, to put it simply.

Your response sounds like a reason to argue with someone who does care. You can't get something out of arguing with someone that doesn't care. They won't listen to anything you are saying. Odds are they will just tell you to piss off. You're not persuading anyone if the subject refuses to be persuaded.

Either that, or you're not very persuasive in your arguments?

 

[Johnmw]

the US has had this weird anti-intellectualism to it for awhile, we value football players more then scientists. I would guess it started creeping in after Darwins origin of species before that science was bringing neat things but nothing that really challenged thinking of the genral public but suddenly you have something that explains how life changes and where we come from that challanges traditional religions belief so suddenly science became a boogy man that some ppl were more then happy to try and get rid of. Altho I suppose also the nuke doesnt help it since that showed just the sheer power that science could unleash, if instead of a bomb it had been a power plant things might be diffrent but who knows.

Unfortunately true. Science went though a vogue of popularity ( Better living through chemistry and all that) but when Darwin and evolution started being taught to everyone, and crucially everyone's kids, People got worried. Freedom of religion got brought in to stop the teaching of Darwin ( We in the U.K are still laughing about that... and crying at the same time). Then the religious right had to start the doubt of science. This doubt, as it has to be applied to things that are provably correct, had to extend to experts. basically in order to prolong the day where people accept Darwinian evolution (Which does NOT mean leaving your God, but might mean rethinking your doctrines), we have learned to mistrust what we don't understand, and in science it's easier to ridicule than sit through lectures to gain understanding. We are taught that common sense can replace science and the experts are only trying to trick us, the trickle down effect being knowledge and erudition is is miss-trusted. Because when you have a proven idea that a large bit of society does not want to be true, all you can do is call the whole practice of evidence, proof and learning into question.

 

[internetzealot1]

Q-2: Because A)Society has alot of dipshits B) It would be "unfair" to the dumbassses. It would make them feel "unappreciated"

 

[Kasawd]

People are far smarter than you give them credit for. It all lies in personal interest, really. A truly stupid person is someone who isn't smart with anything. I used to believe this entire stupid bimbo/jock thing until my third year of drama, where I met a few of the worst of them from our school.

Talk to these people and make an effort at being charismatic, you'll find that the way you view them will change dramatically. Also, if you still genuinely hate them, you are finally justified in doing so.

Intellectuals often feel as if they have a right to be so, making them unduely arrogant. It could either be the vocabulary or the way they make themselves appear but it is there.

We are all bloody humans, after all.

Also, when you put them on your level from the outset, they are easier to manipulate if the need arises.

 

[Internet Kraken]

Why would you want to argue with someone that obviously doesn't care about your argument? That's like punching a brick wall. It only makes you look like an idiot.

Some people like to take the easy way out and some of us like kicking water uphill. If you can argue with a person who doesn't want to argue, and get something out of it, you feel like you rub a bit of yourself on the world (aw crap sex jokes D. For some reason, it's a very comfortable feeling to know you "spread your knowledge" around, as bogus and ridiculous as it may be. To persuade people is nice, to put it simply.

Your response sounds like a reason to argue with someone who does care. You can't get something out of arguing with someone that doesn't care. They won't listen to anything you are saying. Odds are they will just tell you to piss off. You're not persuading anyone if the subject refuses to be persuaded.

Either that, or you're not very persuasive in your arguments?

It doesn't matter how persuasive you are if the subject refuses to be persuaded.

 

[Zer_]

I'm going to say it's a cultivated media image. It's who our society idolizes, and who is seen as a figure to emulate.

Bingo!

Ignorance is bliss.

Yahtzee!

I'm not sure where the anti-intellectualism trend started, but I figure it won't stop.
Ever.

It's a vicious cycle.
People see jocks and whores are popular.
People want to be popular.
People become jocks and whores.

Cycle repeats.
Endlessly.

All of this pretty much sums up the answer to the OP's questions...
All I can add is that this is why modern culture fails at life. I should also add that intellectualism is far higher on my list than being popular, because honestly, what does being popular mean in life? Nothing. It's a completely worthless and shallow concept that undermines what it really ought to mean to be a real fucking person.

Whoa.
/rantiness

Preach it...

 

[ButanicXpandA]

you get it in australia too, a school near where i live recently began rewarding rugby players with scholarships to the school, this in turn ruined the school's reputation.
It was always a sporty school but the yearly exam results when compared to others in my area were released, you begin to notice that its rank has slipped from 1st to 14th over the space of 10 years.