If Ignorance is Bliss, What Should Intellectuals Do? If ignorance is bliss, why aren't there more happy people?
You're wrong. Stupidity is when you're slow to learn or understand things. Ignorance is when you're uneducated, unaware, or uninformed. Being uneducated about something doesn't mean you're slow to learn or understand it. You can't be stupid at something you're don't know in the first place. For example, you were never taught the Cherokee language, so you're not stupid if you can't greet someone in Cherokee.
I think the "ignorance" refers to simply "not knowing bad information", such as that a close acquaintance hates you but acts nice anyway. If you never knew that s/he hated you, you'd be perfectly happy because of the facade. If you knew that s/he did, then you'd feel a bit down.
I wonder if there really is such a thing as "intellectual"? What are they, exactly? ...just people who know a lot of things? ...people who claim to know a lot of things about a lot of things? ...people who know every-fuckin'-thing about one thing? What the hell is an "intellectual"? How many people do you really know, Sam? And how are you so sure that there aren't billions of happily ignorant people in the world? Ignorance is bliss? Yeah, it is ...if people didn't know about all the unhappy shit in the world, what would/could they be unhappy about? Have you ever met or known two people who get together and fall in love? Have you noticed how happy they are ...and how ignorant they are about things going on around them and in the world? They're happy because they don't let or they don't know about the latest horror that some humans have inflicted on other humans! If there were no newscasts, no newspapers, no Internet, no neighbors to tell you about a disaster in the world, how could you be unhappy about it? Baron Max
If there is a bomb headed directly for your house right now, and you are unaware (you are ignorant of that information) it does not worry, concern or affect you at all. Now, imagine you are ignorant of everything that can bring you harm in any way. If you are unaware that you can be hurt at all, you are in a blissful state. Since the VAST majority or people are aware that they can be hurt in one way or another, this doesn't apply literally. So, to be unaware of the fact that the bomb is about to drop on your house, is to be in a state of bliss - all other concerns not withstanding. Blissful = Unconcerned
And yet, in the first sentence, you proved that ignorance about the bomb is to be in a state of bliss. I think your post is some foolish attempt to make some silly, convoluted, philosophical proof about ignorance and bliss ....and you failed miserably! Baron Max
You can fix ignorance, but you cannot fix stupid. Stupid is lacking the ability to solve basic problems by your own means. If you are 30 years old and you can never figure out how to tie your shoe laces, then you are stupid. If you have the mental ability to be able to tie your own shoe laces but you just don't know how to do it, then you are ignorance but not necessarily stupid.
1. If it is your wish to be blissful, then stay ignorant. 2. Being uneducated is not always blissful. Being blissful does not necessarily make you happy. I dont know how you can be happy about something which you are unaware, unless you make a conscious decision to not learn on purpose.
That's not the proper definition. Ignorance means ignoring information that is obvious or freely available. It is even worse than just a lack of knowledge.
What should an intellectual do? Well, quite simply, use his intellect to ponder the situation. First order of the day would be to take the phrase "ignorance is bliss" and find where it came from. Learn the context implicit in its very creation. If you do so, then you'll find that Gray's intent in "On a Distant Prospect of Eaton College" was quite different than that promoted by the sound bite which people of this modern era are familiar with: "Since sorrow never comes too late, And happiness too swiftly flies. Thought would destroy their paradise. No more; where ignorance is bliss, 'Tis folly to be wise." http://www.web-books.com/Classics/Poetry/Anthology/Gray_T/OdeOnDistance.htm That would be a start.
I think "ignorance is bliss" only works with things that don't affect you. If you never know about the wars going on or the people starving in other places, or the fact that your economy is destroying itself, it can't bother you. Same thing with nuclear wars that don't make it to your area. Pretty much, if you don't aknowledge a problem, you can't get depressed about it. Intellectuals(and everyone) should seek physical, intellectual, and psychological perfection, along with individualism.
Well, ....duh! I would have thought that would have been obvious. Am I just stupid or just blisfully ignorant ...or perhaps both! Why? What good will it do the intellectual (or anyone)? That's a serious question, by the way. Why seek something that one can never achieve ...assuming "perfection" is unachievable, won't it just make one miserable? ...to strive for something that they can never find or have? Why not spend that time planting and caring for a garden? At least you'd have something to show for your time and effort, not to mention something to eat. Baron Max
Sure ....that's one of those tiny little creatures that are found in soil, and they can burrow into and under your skin causing painful swelling and irritation, right? Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! Baron Max
Dumb down... There are, but they are too ignorant to recognize it... Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
