Thursday, May 10, 2007

Ignorance is bliss

“A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.” but then is more of it not a killjoy?

Is it better if to be unaware of the harsh realities of life and be carefree and ignorant like children? We all go through experiences as we grow up and certainly not all of them are good. We see so much unhappiness in this world that we are all touched by it in some or the other way. And ignorance meaning ‘to not know’ is possible only if we shut ourselves from the world completely. But we can’t shut ourselves from the world completely, can we?

Ignorance in this phrase can mean something else too, ‘to choose to ignore’. There are so many things that can work against us in our lives, things over which we have no control whatsoever. Is it not futile to get perturbed by them? True it is human to get upset, but for how long? Is it not the best at times to just forget and ignore things? Cowardice you say, denying the truth, but I say it is accepting the truth and choosing to get over it. Don’t we all want to be happy? But still we don’t understand that happiness is by choice and the choice is for us to make. It is difficult at times but then who said that being happy was an easy task?

5 comments:

Debanshu Mukherjee said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Debanshu Mukherjee said...

Happiness for Aristotle is the 'Unconditionally Complete Good'. It is an 'end' every human action is directed at. And yet the search for this unconditionally complete good remains perpetual...

Smartalec said...

that's a thought! no idea what got you started on this but yeah, when you think of it, it's better to remain oblivious, ot at least pretend to be, under certain circumstances:(

Sur said...

@debanshu
very true. pleasure, happiness this is what motivates us. And i am forced to think that does the 'end justify the means'? sometimes it does.

@sa
was discussing with my friend about this and thought of posting about it. I liked the way the difference in the meaning of the word 'ignorance' gave an altogether new meaning to the phrase.

Gaurav said...

yeah being gloomy about the things around, one would only add to the misery in the world!

Coming out after a great dinner with close friends, getting bothered by the beggar on the street would spoil it for all, one has to 'choose to ignore' in such cases.....it's beyond control

Nothing wrong in wanting to be happy, as long as one is not cut off from the reality and has a sense of gratitude for being better off than a lot of others - it can only drive one to help someone and make their day !