Ignorance Is Bliss Analysis

Gerd Gigerenzer in “Deliberate Ignorance” distinguishes what this self-chosen defiance of knowledge means and what people feel when confining themselves to the situation. When someone willfully decides to remain ignorant even when the answer remains easily obtained, that person has decided to become deliberately ignorant. Gigerenzer understands how systematic ignorance can wreak havoc on large populations and impact people’s daily lives. This systematic production of ignorance deflects, covers up, and obscures facts. He stated a prime example of this “the tobacco industry’s efforts to keep people unaware of the evidence that smoking causes cancer” (Gigerenzer 1). In contrast deliberate ignorance involves a phenomenon where people choose not to have specified information.

Mankind must by this time have acquired positive beliefs as to the effects of some actions on their happiness; and the beliefs which have thus come down are the rules of morality for the multitude, and for the philosopher until he has succeeded in finding better. That philosophers might easily do this, even now, on many subjects; that the received code of ethics is by no means of divine right; and that mankind have still much to learn as to the effects of actions on general happiness, I admit or rather earnestly maintain.

Everyone has ignorance and it will always be present. It is a matter of how knowledge intervenes that judges the outcome. James Madison describes a similar aspect. He mentions knowledge as the power that relieves ignorance and allows people to be their own governors. In Fahrenheit 451, the character of Montag is a great example. He is once an ideal, ignorant citizen, but it all changes once he meets Clarisse, who unlocks a vault full of knowledge to him. Moreover, the crave for knowledge grows and Montag meets Faber who helps reveal the meaning of knowledge, allowing Montag to

In the book Among the Hidden, the author uses a very selective choice of vocabulary to convey the mood of events in the story. The mood that the author described is one that is very depressing.

"Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.", says Martin Luther King Jr. Truer words have never been spoken, for when ignorance is bliss, there is a steep price to pay. In The House of the Scorpion, Nancy Farmer creates a character named Matteo Alacrán, and for the first half of the book, he is ignorance personified. When Matt learns the truth about his identity, his bubble of bliss is shattered, but perhaps it was for his own good. The great poet Thomas Gray writes, "Where ignorance is bliss, / Tis' folly to be wise." Yes, ignorance is bliss, but it is just as much of a "folly" as wisdom.

2nd BODY: One of the desirable aspects of ignorance and why one may choose ignorance is its ability to mask problems and allows them to manifest into an even bigger beast. Many problems today like depression and conflict

“There is no way to be completely happy without being oblivious to the world around you” (Maredith Close). Everybody is oblivious, sometimes on purpose, sometimes not, though it tends to be beneficial. As said by Maredith Close, true happiness can not be achieved without oblivion, but in extreme cases, too much happiness for someone can cause less for someone else. Being oblivious can cause calm thoughts, but when conceived in extreme, can cause confusion and lack of comprehension, perhaps leading to irrational actions.

Throughout Frankenstein it is evident that Victor and Robert express their thirst for knowledge, which often leads to destruction. Through analyzing Frankenstein it is possible to find many examples that illustrate the fact that wanting to have more knowledge can be extremely dangerous. Firstly, as Victor is creating life he is able to create a humanoid monster, unfortunately he is appalled by his creation and becomes very ill. Afterwards, when Victor is completing the female companion for his original creation, Victor realizes that this will only create more destruction. Finally, as Walton is on a journey to the North Pole he encounters difficulties that nearly kill him and his crew. This shows that Victor and Walton are repeatedly

Deception Jehan Fostanes Nayga had once said, “Know that to understand other people, is one way of helping them to grow”. In “Immune to Reality”, Daniel Gilbert states, “ Research suggests that people are typically unaware of the reasons why they are doing what they are doing, but when asked for a reason, they readily supply one” (Gilbert 131). Gilbert’s essay is based off the foundation of happiness and its unpredictability. However, happiness is an intangible chimerical feeling that often times is obtained with understanding and knowledge.

Ignorance is like going through life with shut eyes, unaware and unfamiliar. It is like a foreboding, grey cloud, – the colour of ash and soot – hanging above and blanketing people’s vision. Alternatively, in the world, ignorance has become a fluent trait in the growing population where people live through their lives in ignorant bliss because they do not take time to consider reasoning beyond a normal perspective. Ignorance does not always necessarily refer to one’s knowledge in an academic sense, but more so is one’s understanding of their surroundings and the world. Ignorance often defines and influences choices and ethics, and frequently comes from inaccurate beliefs, lack of consciousness, and misleading information; it will be people’s

Ignorance is bliss as said by many people. As defined in the dictionary it is,”lack of knowledge or information”(google). It could be a blessing or a curse. In this case, humans being ignorant is a curse. Our thoughts have been so conditioned that our curiosity has been stolen from us. We no longer have her own unique thoughts, we just go with what we are told. In How The Water Feels To The Fishes by Dave Eggers, he writes how ignorant humans can be to everyday things like, air.

Plato once said that, “Ignorance [is] the root and stem of all evil”. Ignorance is the cause of everything that is wrong and bad in the world since people are unable to see the truth. If people start breaking free from ignorance, mankind will become happier and more transparent. In the short story, “Allegory of The Cave” by Plato and The Matrix by the Wachowskis, they portray the idea that in order to gain enlightenment, one must break free from ignorance; which opens himself to knowledge; this new truth must then be shared with others for the good of mankind.

Plato once said, “Human behavior flows from three main sources: desire, emotion, and knowledge.” Some believe that the desire for knowledge and the emotions that arise from it can be dangerous. This assumption is incorrect because possessing vast amounts of knowledge causes many positive impacts everywhere. Knowledge is not dangerous because it causes advancements in the lives of others which leads to a more harmonious society.

Within The Happiness Hypothesis by Jonathan Haidt, he mentions that there are two ancient truths concerning how the mind works. The first truth is the foundational idea of the book: the mind is divided into parts that sometimes conflict with each other. The second truth is Shakespeare’s idea about how “thinking makes it so.” (or, as Buddha said, “Our life is the creation of our mind.”) Like a rider, on the back of an elephant, the conscious, reasoning part of the mind has only limited control of what the elephant does. Nowadays, we know the cause of these divisions, and a few ways to help the rider and the elephant work as a better team. We can improve this ancient idea today by explaining why most people’s minds have a bias toward seeing threats and engaging in useless worry. To change this bias, we can use three techniques to increase happiness, one ancient, and two very new.

“Thoughts become perception, perception becomes reality. Alter your thoughts, alter your reality” (James “William James Quote”). This sentiment from William James who was a leading philosopher and psychologist at the turn of the 19th Century inspires one to challenge their labeling of a current circumstance, suggesting happiness is a perception that can be manipulated. This mind over matter approach to life’s struggles has become commonplace in the repertoire of motivational speakers, close friends, coaches, and other well-meaning influencers alike. This ambiguous concept has the ability to produce very real consequences, even death. In