What's wrong with our society: Mass ignorance.

Safeway

Lifer
Jun 22, 2004
12,075
11
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Mass ignorance of the value and significance of education.
Mass ignorance in saving for retirement.
Mass ignorance in saving, period.
Mass ignorance in religion.
Mass ignorance in science.
Mass ignorance of technology.
Mass ignorance in believing the government knows best.
Mass ignorance in spending.
Mass ignorance in believing that certain people are owed certain things.
Mass ignorance of certain people relying on 'what is owed.'
Mass ignorance of politics.
Mass ignorance in buying into propaganda.
Mass ignorance in buying into scams.
Mass ignorance by neglect.
Mass ignorance in the abilities of doctors.
Mass ignorance in recycling and renewable resources.
Mass ignorance in protecting mass ignorance.
Mass ignorance in pointing out the ignorance of others while ignoring one's own ignorance.
Mass ignorance. Period.

Please add or subtract from my list.

 

yllus

Elite Member & Lifer
Aug 20, 2000
20,577
432
126
What's depressing is that historically speaking, ignorance is actually at an all-time low. :p
 

sixone

Lifer
May 3, 2004
25,030
5
61
What's really depressing is the lengths people will go to to protect their own ignorance.
 

Ricemarine

Lifer
Sep 10, 2004
10,507
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Is this the reason why my name can be associated with AUP on urbandictionary? :laugh:...

Oh I remember that thread... Better not start another one.
 

Descartes

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
13,968
2
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I think only one or two of those items actually relates to ignorance (e.g. politics); the others are more defects in the human psyche. The attributes that lead to such ill-mannered situations (propaganda, scams, religious fanaticism, etc.) no doubt derive from some genetic purpose that obviously has merit.

In other words, I think they are all derivatives of the same thing. There's a few good books that discuss these things: Voodoo Science, Influence--The Psychology of Persuasion, etc.
 

Amused

Elite Member
Apr 14, 2001
57,119
18,646
146
You forgot one:

Mass ignornace in minding one's own damn business.

:p
 

Amused

Elite Member
Apr 14, 2001
57,119
18,646
146
How about:

Mass ignorance in pointing out the ignorance of others while ignoring one's own ignorance.

:p
 

Descartes

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
13,968
2
0
Originally posted by: sixone
What's really depressing is the lengths people will go to to protect their own ignorance.

Actually, I think the failure is the inability to know whether you're ignorant or not. Some people seem to have an intrinsic ability to evaluate their own ideas somewhat objectively, but many lend themselves to so many forms of bias that it's almost impossible to evaluate.

imo
 
Apr 17, 2005
13,465
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evolution doesnt exist
global warming doesnt exist
being gay is a psychological problem
islam is the cause of all things evil
illegal immigrants are destroying this country
stem cell research is the work of the devil
O'Rielly/Limbaugh '08

i'm not ignorant...thank you very much.
 

Kev

Lifer
Dec 17, 2001
16,367
4
81
Originally posted by: Amused
How about:

Mass ignorance in pointing out the ignorance of others while ignoring one's own ignorance.

:p

*brain explodes*
 

sixone

Lifer
May 3, 2004
25,030
5
61
Originally posted by: Descartes
Originally posted by: sixone
What's really depressing is the lengths people will go to to protect their own ignorance.

Actually, I think the failure is the inability to know whether you're ignorant or not. Some people seem to have an intrinsic ability to evaluate their own ideas somewhat objectively, but many lend themselves to so many forms of bias that it's almost impossible to evaluate.

imo

I see it as a choice. Self-examination is difficult, and an ongoing process. Courage and stick-to-it-iveness are not as common as one could wish.
 

Jeff7

Lifer
Jan 4, 2001
41,596
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Originally posted by: sixone
What's really depressing is the lengths people will go to to protect their own ignorance.
Ignorance of their own ignorance goes hand-in-hand with this.

One teacher in high school mentioned at some point that if they ever proved that the Shroud of Turin was fake, she didn't care, she didn't want to know. All she wanted was to believe.
Mental institutions prove that belief isn't everything. (I think this is inadvertently paraphrasing a quote by someone famous, but I'm not sure who.)
 

BoberFett

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
37,562
9
81
Originally posted by: dmcowen674
Originally posted by: sixone
What's really depressing is the lengths people will go to to protect their own ignorance.

or the ones paid to be ignorant.
Or those like dmcowen here who aren't ignorant, just flat out stupid.