I Don't Know
by Ron Hughes
Where ignorance is bliss, ‘tis folly to be wise. Thomas Gray
Thomas Gray’s famous quotation is often shortened to “ignorance is bliss.” This betrays a particularly shortsighted view of life. But even the full version of the quotation only tells part of the story. Certainly, when there’s nothing we can do about a situation, not knowing about some aspect of it can save us some needless fretting. However, we can affect the outcomes of many circumstances in our lives, and ignorance in such cases can lead to disaster.
Ignorance comes in a variety of flavours. We could describe the best of a bad lot as authentic ignorance. This results from a genuine lack of information. Some bad outcomes could be avoided by relatively simple actions taken on solid facts. I think of a friend who invited a homeless person home to share some living space for a few days. He didn’t take time to discover ahead of time that this person had some mental health issues which would put him and his property at risk. By the time he had accumulated the pertinent information, it was too late and he ended up being ripped off. If he had known more up front he could have been helpful without putting himself at risk.
Another kind of ignorance is associated with a distorted perspective. We may have some good solid information, but we become so focussed on some aspect of it that we fail to accept new facts which would cause us to adjust our understanding. We could call this selective ignorance. In this case, we choose to emphasize one aspect of the truth to the point where nothing else gets through to us. While I’m a strong believer in absolute truth, I also recognize that some of us have developed the habit of “absolutizing” relative truth. For example, problems are often made worse by rushing into a hastily and partially conceived solution. This is relatively true, but having had an experience or two along these lines cause some people to move to a dangerously passive position where they hesitate to make decisions or take action. They are unable to embrace the other notion that many problems are made worse by negligence.
The next kind of ignorance is better known though often hard to recognize, particularly in ourselves. It’s willful ignorance, where we demonstrate a preference for ignorance over knowledge. We just don’t want to know something. Unless someone forces us to fact the facts, we prefer to muddle along hoping that a crisis won’t make the whole thing blow up. This is a particular problem in intimate relationships. One or both parties may be aware of increasing toxicity, but would prefer the dull ache of chronic dysfunction over the short sharp pain of facing and fixing the problem and moving forward together.
Indolent ignorance can be understood to be a sub-category of willful ignorance but it is a special case because it is motivated not by fear or inertia but by laziness. An example here is of a woman I once knew who just didn’t want to be responsible about some of her expenses - specifically her heating bills. She was perfectly capable of grasping the concepts, but knew that once she became knowledgeable, she would be responsible, and that was just too much bother. When asked by her adult children about how much oil she was burning, the last time the furnace was serviced, the frequency with which the filter was changed, and so on, she had a stock answer. She seemed to think “I don’t know.” was a legitimate answer to these questions and once given the questioner should be satisfied and quit pressing.
Wishful ignorance is a category of “not knowing”which is, again, a sub-category of willful ignorance. Here we know what we want and we want it so badly that we refuse to consider any information which might suggest that we can’t have it or that having it would be worse than not having it. I’ve known some single people who have been so fixated on having a “life-partner” that they have allowed themselves to be drawn in to horrible relationships. To suggest that they give this person and their relationship some serious thought is to question their intelligence (likely), their motives (well, yes), their emotional maturity (for sure) or all three and more. Ironically, they are often more quick to write off a proven relationship with a friend who genuinely cares about them and is willing to challenge them than to give up an unproven relationship on which they are pinning the fulfillment of their emotional needs.
Arrogant ignorance is the result of an unwarranted view of one’s superiority. Your friends who exhibit this are so sure of themselves and what they know that they cannot accept that any lesser mortal might be able to instruct them about anything. If someone warns them about damage that might result from the actions they anticipate taking, and the damage is indeed done, they often resort to “Why am I always the bad guy?” kind of comments. They are characteristically unwilling to take responsibility for the mayhem they leave in their wake.
Some people use retributive ignorance to even scores with those they perceive as competitors. Often knowledge is the key to getting the upper hand in relationships, but sometimes ignorance serves as a handy substitute. “Gee, I’m sorry, I didn’t know...” is a great way to bluff your way through behaviour which was intentionally meant to irritate someone. You keep them frustrated with a variety of annoying behaviours but always excuse yourself with and apologetic “I didn’t know.” People can remain in perpetual punishment for years to those who are skill in the art of retributive ignorance. There is no peace in the relationship, but it is always the fault of the one who is irritated because after all, the perpetrator “didn’t know.”
Within work relationships, strategic ignorance is an often used though seldom recognized technique for maintaining control. This is “not knowing” specific information which internal policies or government regulation calls for. When workers catch wind of a change which will force them out of their comfort zone in the workplace, strategic ignorance can help maintain the status quo. This coupled with some bluster and the appearance of complying can keep the required changes at bay for a considerable period. Their closed minds become a roadblock to institutional progress.
In certain sub-cultures from families to corporations, seeming to be ignorant can actually work in the favour of some individuals. I think of one case where a man, in effect, never grew up as he resorted to chosen ignorance. Well into mid-life, he is still cared for by a circle of family and friends to whom he turns for frequent financial and emotional bailouts. This allows him to maintain a range of irresponsible behaviours which he prefers to taking his place as a mature adult in the community. I’m not suggesting those who take the chosen ignorance path do so consciously. Most often it sneaks up on them and simply establishes itself the preferred way to make it through life. I call it chosen ignorance because it would take a conscious choice to move beyond its reach.
Habitual ignorance often begins in childhood, especially where children get the impression that they “cannot learn.” This is the result of a variety of subtle messages which the child absorbs and ends up believing. It begins with others excusing their ignorance for whatever reason and ends up with their excusing their ignorance. Of course, we’re all aware that there is a lot we don’t know. Limitations of time, opportunity and resources contribute to our having to be selective about what we learn. Yet, the habitually ignorant have internalized the message of their inability to learn to the degree that it hinders them even trying.
This is a lot of bad news. And perhaps I haven’t even mentioned the one which has the most impact on your life. But there is some good news as well. I see ignorance, whatever the flavour, as relative, not absolute. The fact is that for even the most brilliant of us, there is a lot more that we don’t know than we do know. Often much of what we know isn’t all that useful to us as we make our way through life. Sometimes, what we know can actually hinder us because it distracts us from learning the really important things that would make a truly positive difference. Certainly, what we think we know is a problem, because the implication is that it is false knowledge. It may make us look smart, but it leads us down rabbit trails. When we get to the end, not only has the rabbit eluded us, we can’t find our way back.
The Bible has a lot to say about overcoming ignorance in the well-over 200 direct references to its opposite - wisdom. What we learn by putting many of these together is that knowing God and having a right relationship with Him is the starting point. You can find that in Proverbs 9:10. As you study the Bible, you’ll discover two streams of wisdom: one an earthly, short-sighted variety, the other is supernatural taking the eternal view.
In this brief passage from James 3, we see a quick comparison of the two. “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbour bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. (James 3:13-17 NIV)
There’s no doubt about the relative value of the two. The former may get us ahead in this life, but that’s as far as it can take us. The latter may not appear to give us much advantage in the short-term, but it takes us far, far beyond what the former could ever dream of. So how do you start getting the victory over ignorance, however it manifests itself in your life?
James answers that question in a few verses in chapter 1 of his letter. He wrote: “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does. (James 1:5-8 NIV)
Throw in your lot with God. Whole-heartedly embrace the spiritual life He offers through the death of the Lord Jesus on the cross. Then dare to ask Him to start where you are and give you the wisdom which, until so recently, entirely eluded you. You have His word on it that He will give it to you generously regardless of how ignorant you’ve been in the past.
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Reply #1 on : Thu January 12, 2012, 08:14:26