Why Are People Willfully Ignorant?

[Inverse Skies]

This thing hasn't changed. We always idolise those that we believe are talented more than smart. Sports stars, actors, singers, media personalities etc. There are obviously going to be some smart people in amongst them yes, but there is also going to be some very unintelligent ones. Really it all comes down to what society values - asthetics and talent. Being intelligent isn't really seen as a talent and has the social stigma of being nerdy or awkward attached to it. Being of a lower IQ doesn't. The main thing is to not concern yourself with it, just relax and try to ignore those who don't value intelligence. We do here on the Escapist, so at least take solace in that idea.

 

[Spatzist]

I'm going to play devil's advocate here (someone has to). The media is endlessly updating us on issues we feel we can't really do anything about. We're being endlessly bombarded with information of little use to us. Why bother knowing what's going on, when there's nothing you can do to change it? Why learn all these things that never seem applicable to your life? Why should I worry about what I can't change, or learn the things I don't need to know? It all seems like nothing more than a pointless, elaborate mental exercise that only gets in the way of enjoying life.
When is a football player actually going to need to know the math behind the trajectory of a football? What's he going to do, take out a measuring tape and calculator before every throw? What does the government healthcare policy matter to the football player's girlfriend? Her parents foot all the medical bills; she never even learns how much it costs, nor does she need to know. Why should a middle class high school student learn about the genocides going on in Africa? What good will that knowledge do them? What good could they even do with that knowledge? Stop the next genocide? Get a grip. As a wise Disney character once said, "Hakuna Matata". No worries.

 

[longline]

Hi thread!
I don't really trust you because most of you sound like fictional characters!
Maybe you're all social studies professors in which case i apologize.

Hello OP!
Aren't you posting in the wrong bar here?
Eventually everybody gets lynched I guess.

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

I'll give you a C! For "effort"!

 

[orangebandguy]

Ignorance is bliss.

Quite. It's easier to ignore everything put in front of you and live comfortably, than it is to question and lose it.

The Matrix covered that quite well I think.

 

[likalaruku]

1)Because being smart requires thinking, rationalizing, & questioning, which makes peoples brains hurt.

2)In the 80s, all the preppies & jocks made it cool to be stupid. Being smart wattented toilet head flushing, wedgies, & being shut inside your locker.

3)Most religious books say that you should never ask questions & just believe what your parents & elders tell you with all the blind faith you can muster.

4)Because the people who wrote our American History books thought that popular myths were better than the truth. Then Discovery Networks ruined that for them & they had to rewright the books & we had to relearn American History from the begining, wondering why they wasted a full class learning twisted truths & outright lies. The war between the text book writers & Discovery Networks continues to this day.

 

[T5seconds]

I choose to be ignorant to specific things

I choose to be ignorant towards the media, people, pop culture, rhetorical questions.

I prefer history science and the unknown

With that out of the way I HATE people who talk about things that don?t matter like TV shows, celebrities. I end up bitter because of it AND I think that is why stupid people make it better by comparison most reasonably intelligent people in my class are ready to hold a steady argument (take note there are about TWO) and we all seem to be bitter and anti social because we can?t stand someone being stupid/racist/Non-Thinking, and instinct take over and we bark out our own ideas whenever possible which brings me to my point People are stupid because our schools punish clever arguments AND I was in G.A.T.E a class supposedly for the advanced if I was allowed to argue with someone who just states something without giving a point on it nether me nor him learn anything SO people are ignorant because apparently learning from one another is bad...

 

[clipse15]

I choose you be ignorant to specific things

I choose to be ignorant towards the media, people, pop culture, rhetorical questions.

I prefer history science and the unknown

With that out of the way I HATE people who talk about things that don?t matter like TV shows, celebrities. I end up bitter because of it AND I think that is why stupid people make it better by comparison most reasonably intelligent people in my class are ready to hold a steady argument (take note there are about TWO) and we all seem to be bitter and anti social because we can?t stand someone being stupid/racist/Non-Thinking, and instinct take over and we bark out our own ideas whenever possible which brings me to my point People are stupid because our schools punish clever arguments AND I was in G.A.T.E a class supposedly for the advanced if I was allowed to argue with someone who just states something without giving a point on it nether me nor him learn anything SO people are ignorant because apparently learning from one another is bad...

really? I mean really? you HATE people who talk about tv and celebraties? thats kind of a strong emotion for something so trivial. Please enlighten me what do you consider some worthwhile topics of discussion?

 

[Skuffyshootster]

Hopefully natural selection will do it's thing and all of the dumb whores/jocks will be dead before humanity becomes a lost cause (if it hasn't become one already).

Something tells me that if the world were suddenly to end, the dumb whores and jocks are the ones who will restore humanity. Jocks are strong and can hold their own in a world that's been fucked. Whores will obviously do what they do best and repopulate the world.

It's a grim ideal for the less than athletic people, but if the apocalypse ever comes along, me and my skinny, non muscular self wouldn't last a month.

God help us all.

 

[cuddly_tomato]

1-When did being a dipshit become cool? And how the fuck did we let that happen?
2-Why doesn't society honour those who do well, get educated, ect?

1- I asked this question myself recently. The conclusion we reached was that sociopathy is far more common than we realize.

2- "Do well" is a largely subjective point of view.

 

[T5seconds]

I choose you be ignorant to specific things

I choose to be ignorant towards the media, people, pop culture, rhetorical questions.

I prefer history science and the unknown

With that out of the way I HATE people who talk about things that don?t matter like TV shows, celebrities. I end up bitter because of it AND I think that is why stupid people make it better by comparison most reasonably intelligent people in my class are ready to hold a steady argument (take note there are about TWO) and we all seem to be bitter and anti social because we can?t stand someone being stupid/racist/Non-Thinking, and instinct take over and we bark out our own ideas whenever possible which brings me to my point People are stupid because our schools punish clever arguments AND I was in G.A.T.E a class supposedly for the advanced if I was allowed to argue with someone who just states something without giving a point on it nether me nor him learn anything SO people are ignorant because apparently learning from one another is bad...

really? I mean really? you HATE people who talk about tv and celebraties? thats kind of a strong emotion for something so trivial. Please enlighten me what do you consider some worthwhile topics of discussion?

I hate the people who I can give a worthwhile topic too and they refuse to talk it and go on about how some TV show IS TEH BEST TEH EVAR

I think that the thoughts on Communism war tactics ethics astronomy economy history and everything in-between are better subjects than "This TV show is teh best evar" It's not hard to make a good subject matter ... It?s just people refuse too...

Edit: I give up the post is staying like this...

 

[Hollock]

yes, yes, yes

 

[traceur_]

The irony is fucking astounding, you say you're intelligent and yet you can't answer your own simple-as-dog-shit question.

I think that the thoughts on Communism war tactics ethics astronomy economy history and everything in-between are better subjects than "This TV show is teh best evar" It's not hard to make a good subject matter ... It?s just people refuse too...

Mate, who gives a fuck about that? People don't "just refuse to", it's because to most people, that shit is about as much fun as punching yourself in the face. How about realising that people talk about what they enjoy? People talk about TV shows because they enjoy those shows, I talk about parkour because I enjoy it, my mate talks about soccer because he enjoys it.

What would change if everyone started discussing the effect of communism on the film industry? Nothing. Why discuss something that's completely and utterly pointless if no one enjoys it?

I'm not saying you're arrogant, but I will say that it's far worse when people hold these views than it is for people to choose to remain ignorant of things they have absolutely no control over.

People, have a listen to this and chill out, stop worrying about other people, they have their fun, you can have yours, everyone stays happy, k? k?

 

[spuddyt]

I enjoyed that song.

 

[T5seconds]

The irony is fucking astounding, you say you're intelligent and yet you can't answer your own simple-as-dog-shit question.

I think that the thoughts on Communism war tactics ethics astronomy economy history and everything in-between are better subjects than "This TV show is teh best evar" It's not hard to make a good subject matter ... It?s just people refuse too...

Mate, who gives a fuck about that? People don't "just refuse to", it's because to most people, that shit is about as much fun as punching yourself in the face. How about realising that people talk about what they enjoy? People talk about TV shows because they enjoy those shows, I talk about parkour because I enjoy it, my mate talks about soccer because he enjoys it.

What would change if everyone started discussing the effect of communism on the film industry? Nothing. Why discuss something that's completely and utterly pointless if no one enjoys it?

I'm not saying you're arrogant, but I will say that it's far worse when people hold these views than it is for people to choose to remain ignorant of things they have absolutely no control over.

I talk about things because it gives me knowledge and I find happiness in knowledge and when I say they refuse too I mean they will flat out give me an argument starter and walk off as if they never said anything to begin with witch pisses me the fuck off because then they learn nothing and they stay walking around spewing the same thing never learning there?s two fucking ways to see it maybe if we all started discussing why communism works I will stop hearing stupid points on communism (No I?m too tired to think of an appropriate example its 6 in the fucking morning) If people would stick to what they liked "I know nothing about parkour so I will not say who is the best free runner" But if you?re going to give someone shit about what they think is right then you better be ready to put up an argument hence why I hate the ignorant they start an argument and when losing they leave ... Understand?

 

[iJosh]

1-When did being a dipshit become cool? And how the fuck did we let that happen?
2-Why doesn't society honour those who do well, get educated, ect?

1. When losers started to finally notice that being stuck up and wearing ambercrombie/edhardy could just get you a girl and most likely, laid. Not sure how or why, It was just bound to happen.

2. Because most of those stuck up people didn't do anything with their lives and therefore shun you for doing good.

That's what I think.

 

[Samurai Goomba]

1-When did being a dipshit become cool? And how the fuck did we let that happen?
2-Why doesn't society honour those who do well, get educated, ect?

1- I asked this question myself recently. The conclusion we reached was that sociopathy is far more common than we realize.

2- "Do well" is a largely subjective point of view.

1. I suppose until we define what is "normal" behavior very clearly, sociopathy will be fairly difficult to spot. And anyway, some of the best and brightest are sociopaths in the sense they don't know how to act in society.

2. And yeah, absolutely. Measuring one's worth by any external method is ultimately shallow and meaningless, in my opinion. I've always felt society puts a little too much importance on meaningless certifications which often don't do anything for the individual other than open doors. It's the 21st century equivalent of what being knighted meant in the Middle ages or becoming a government official in China during the Song Dynasty.

 

[Caliostro]

So here is my question to you guys (actualy, I have 2):
1-When did being a dipshit become cool? And how the fuck did we let that happen?

Since people exist that being stupid is the norm, and therefore, the most socially acceptable.

2-Why doesn't society honour those who do well, get educated, ect?

Because, as aforementioned, people are in general stupid...

I'm sorry but it's one of those things that's just "because they are". Evolution has yet to find a way to thin that particular herd, so we gotta live with them meanwhile.

 

[Caliostro]

Mate, who gives a fuck about that? People don't "just refuse to", it's because to most people, that shit is about as much fun as punching yourself in the face. How about realising that people talk about what they enjoy? People talk about TV shows because they enjoy those shows, I talk about parkour because I enjoy it, my mate talks about soccer because he enjoys it.

There's a distinct difference between being capable of having a conversation about something trivial but fun (hell, most of us here talk about videogames often), and being capable of NOTHING BUT trivial and useless conversation.

And what does it change? Everything. It's long been proven that social conflict (not necessary a fight, a simple friendly debate is enough) is the best way to learn and develop logical and rational capacities. Yes. Talking about things that matter DOES make you smarter. It also comes with the added advantage of helping you think and define ideas (even if "subject to change") about things that DO matter. If there's anything this world urgently needs is people who use their heads for more than holding a hat or as a makeshift battering ram.

In other words: Thinking is good. Leads to good things. We need more of it. K?

 

[traceur_]

In other words: Thinking is good. Leads to good things. We need more of it. K?

Except that most of the time you get overly-opinionated little shitheads that take shit too far. [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/FanDumb]

And there's a colossal difference between possessing knowledge and knowing how to apply it, you might as well give a monkey a match and expect it to light a bunch of fireworks. The fact remains that many people don't give a shit, and that's not about to change.

 

[Zersy]

SNIP

I could give a logical reason and say that "It's part of being human , too make sense of things and enjoy happiness"

But that would be some what ignorant (possible irony) , So instead I shall simply say...

Ignorance has been around for a long time and it will stay for a long time. Be happy that you are not and when ever you meet someone who is not ignorant please do your best to have a awesome time with them.

"Ignorance is the Fall of Soceity" , This quote applies to all soceitys and civilizations of the past take a look.

The roman empire collapsed due to ignorance

The aztecs

The World Wars

Alot of things really. So overall we are ignorant for a mix of reason, It's just really really shit that after all the lessons humanity has learned we continue to repeat mistakes.