LIVING WITH IGNORANCE

"Only two things are infinite,
The Universe and Human Ignorance;
-and I'm not sure about the former."

The above statement was made by Albert Einstein, the great German-born, Nobel-prize winning theoretical physicist whose treatise on The Theory of General Relativity single-handedly changed the course of physics and scientific Investigation forever. In just three short lines, Einstein was able to crystallize the real paradox of Ignorance and its impact upon the human race throughout the ages.
Ignorance is much more than the lack of knowledge. The fundamental status of ignorance is an enduring and often serious problem which robs the mind of the ability to think rationally and come to a reasonable understanding of facts. It begins with our inability, or unwillingness, to grasp the many sides of truth in any individual situation. We tend to hold on to one or a few sides of an issue and believe that this is the full truth. This willingness to accept limited knowledge without question as equivalent to the whole truth, is the real foundation upon which Ignorance is based. This, compounded by the fact that in general, the acceptance of that view is associated with the absolute rejection or avoidance all others is indeed the Hallmark of Ignorance.
The tragedy of Ignorance is compounded by the fact that it potentially opens the door for manipulation of the individual with serious judgmental consequences, caused by the unscrupulous manipulators who are determined to achieve their plans. The intent of the individuals may well be genuine and sincere, but blinded by their own ignorance and unwilling or unable to examine their options, they become very powerful and effective tools of the manipulator. On any given day, one has only to examine the behavior of people under the influence of religious or political extremists to understand how totally unrealistic and unreasonable they become, as a result of blind ignorance. Countries have gone to war, communities have been destroyed, lasting friendships have broken apart, and families have been torn asunder because of the effects of Ignorance. All of them often taking place against a background of profound zeal and rigid commitment. The picture of Racial Profiling, with all its ugly faces, is but one example of ignorance that continues to shame our ‘enlightened’ society.
Contrary to popular impression, Ignorance is not an inherited or cultural component passed on in families from generation to generation, but rather, like its flip-side Knowledge, it is socially produced and maintained by prevailing attitudes and mores, resulting in complex negative behavior that often defy logic or reason. Extensive research in a multitude of differing settings and conditions have confirmed that the presence of ignorance and ignorant behavior was much more an index of poor education, social influences and historical exposure than of genetic transmission. Of equal import is the fact under the right circumstances, with improved education and better understanding, all of these negative, unproductive attitudes are readily reversible.
In this context it is possible to categorize the several different varieties of ignorant attitudes or behaviors on the basis of prevailing functional circumstances. These include, among others, religious, cultural, political, scientific or economic components occurring separately, or collectively, and often lumped together under the heading of social or moral decadence. One needs only to examine the appalling state of voter ignorance in the U.S. political system to recognize the dangers of ignorance. In an advanced country with extensive educational opportunities as the United States, It is frightening to witness the extent that voters are willing to accept distorted the truths to justify their position, or to reject the opposing views, even though this may lead to ultimate loss in overall quality of life. It has to be a serious indictment of large sections of the American society to be so blindly influenced by certain ‘talk show hosts’ who have no hesitation to use lies and distortions to project their views. No less dramatic, is the impact of religious attitudes as an index of ignorance as a basic cause of wars, killings, hate, and rejection among individuals and societies.
To some extent we are all subject to varying degrees of ignorance especially with regard to our innate tendency to prejudge others on the basis of our own inclination and limited knowledge of them. We are all creatures of prejudice, at the heart of which lies ignorance and fear, and unless a conscious effort is made to correct it, this becomes the “normal” human response to any form of difference in behavior or attitude with others. This is indeed man’s greatest curse, one which has been and will continue to be the greatest obstacle to achieving maturity.
Without maturity we are unable to suspend judgment until we have examined all the evidence. As a result we remain trapped in a world of ignorance and open to the influence of wicked and unscrupulous manipulators. Ignorance can only be removed by understanding, and without the right knowledge, we are committed to the prevailing state of pluralistic ignorance which conveniently shelters and protects the ignorant masses, giving rise to the existing corrosive and destructive herd mentality. This, to my mind, is the greatest crime of our society and one which continues to condemn us to live in an environment overwhelmed with pain and suffering and destruction without reason or necessity. To quote the words of an author whose name I do not know:

"Ignorance is man’s greatest mistake."



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The most violent element in society is ignorance
…..Emma Coleman

Where ignorance is bliss,
'Tis folly to be wise…..Thomas Gray
To be ignorant of one’s Ignorance,
is the malady of Ignorance.
……A. Bronson Alcott

Ignorance is salvageable,
but Stupidity is forever.
…..Author Unknown

It is impossible to defeat an Ignorant man in an argument.
……William G. McAdoo

The Evil that is in the world,
almost always comes from Ignorance.
…..Albert Camus

Ignorance is the mother of Admiration.
George Chapman

There will always be Ignorance,
and ignorance leads to Fear.
.......Bill Gates

Not ignorance, but ignorance of ignorance,
is the death of knowledge.
…..Alfred Whitehead

The pleasures of ignorance are as great, in their way,
as the pleasures of knowledge.
…….Aldous Huxley

A great deal of intelligence
can be invested in Ignorance.
……Saul Bellow

The trouble with the world is that,
the Ignorant are cocksure, and
the intelligent are full of doubt.
……..Bertrand Russell

Everyone is Ignorant,
only on different subjects.
……..Will Rogers

All you need in this life is Ignorance and confidence,
and then success is sure.
…….Mark Twain

LIFE WITH NEIGHBORS

“Far better a Neighbor near you,
than a brother who is far off.”

I was recently reminded by my brother-in-law, who is a committed student of the Holy Bible, during a discussion on the subject of relationships with our neighbors, of the above quotation taken from Proverbs 27:10. He was lamenting the fact that unlike past times, there was a growing tendency to keep away from our neighbors in the name of increased privacy and of avoiding giving the impression of being inquisitive. He added that in years gone by a good neighbor was considered to be a blessing who deserves respect and honor. Further, he added that the definition of neighbor should extend not only to the person next door but should include residents of up to 40 houses in all directions. In effect, this really includes the whole neighborhood.

By definition a neighbor is someone who lives in close proximity to you and with whom you share common boundary. But in truth this is a relative term which depends on a number of variables relating to whether you are a city dweller, an urban dweller or a rural dweller, and is not necessarily restricted to the immediate contact but to any one with whom a relationship is developed. A good neighbor is one who is friendly, caring and considerate, who respects your space and privacy but who is always ready and willing to extend support and help whenever it is needed. He is one who takes time to reach out and connect, to talk and smile, to look out for the welfare of your children and your property and above all, do nothing to initiate or encourage any ill-will. In fact a good neighbor is the most essential component for a successful community, and no community will ever survive without the help of good neighbors.

In my own experience, in my many years of living in various countries and differing cultures, I have been blessed in all but one occasion, with good neighbors with whom I have shared many rewarding relationships. We have shared happiness and sorrows, success and failures, good news and bad news, all the time respecting one another’s need for privacy and discretion. Indeed I feel very comfortable in endorsing that a good neighbor is as important as any member of my family and deserve as much respect.

On the one occasion where I have had the great misfortune of living next to a neighbor who chose to exercise his right to complete privacy and isolation, the environment was at best regrettable. In my mind, it certainly confirmed the statement better an enemy than a bad neighbor. For with an enemy, you are always prepared to protect yourself, but with such a neighbor, you are overwhelmed with a sense of ambivalence and uncertainty.

But neighbors are not only individuals who share adjoining spaces; they are also communities and countries sharing common boundaries. As in the case of individual neighbors, they also are bound by the same rules of mutual respect and responsibility which if applied, will lead to mutual peace and prosperity for all. Unfortunately this seems not to be the case in so many situations as to render the world in a state of such intense turmoil and conflict and to inflict such unimaginable pain and suffering on so many defenseless people, whose only need is to live in peace and safety. We need only to examine any of the conflicts which have caused, and continue to cause, such severe economic and personal suffering, to really see that the root cause is the product of a few, misguided, misinformed and biased individuals who, like the bad neighbors, are prepared to cause untold conflict and misery, to satisfy their own agenda.

These people, whether they are your next door neighbor, or the president of a country waging war against a neighboring country, or the leader of a religious group condemning another religious group or any other similar conflict, invariably justify their actions by invoking the name of the Almighty who is on their side. What a crying shame that they do so, for were they genuinely concerned with the wishes of the Almighty God they will no doubt be aware of his own words as related to us in Luke Chapter 10, Verse 27:

"YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART,
AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL,
AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH,
AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND;
-AND YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF."



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He who sleeps contently,
while his neighbors sleep hungry,
did not believe my message.

…..Prophet Mohammad


You can fool the devil,
but you can’t fool the Neighbors.

……Francis Bacon

When strangers start acting like Neighbors;
….Communities are reinvigorated.

……Ralph Nader

Don’t throw stones at your Neighbors;
-Especially if your own windows are glass.

…..Benjamin Franklin

Few of us could bear to have ourselves as Neighbors.

……Mignon McLaughlin

Great Spirit, grant that I may not criticize my neighbor;
Until I have walked a mile in his moccasins.

…… Cherokee Indian Prayer.

A man is called selfish not for pursuing his own good,
but for neglecting his Neighbor's.

…….Richard Whately