Ignorance is bliss is a very common saying today, it represents this idea that by not knowing something, one will be happier. How can one be happy not knowing everything? Especially in today's world, in which information is available with the push of a button. Ignorance is bliss might be a common saying, but would one rather know than live in the unknown?
In the new movie "Everything, Everything," (caution: spoiler alert) a girl who was diagnosed by her mother as having SCID (Severe Combined Immunodeficiency). However, it later becomes known that her mother lied to her for 18 years. Her mom was so worried about losing her (after the deaths of her father and brother) that she locked her in a bubble with filtered air and a very controlled environment. The girl eventually finds out and is naturally infuriated. Would she have been happier not knowing? She was safe in her home, had her mom and her nurse to keep her company. She rarely got sick and was happy. Then she met Olly and realized she was missing the whole world. She herself said she lived three miles from the ocean but had never seen it. Would she have been better off staying in that bubble or leaving and finding the truth? Was she really living by staying in a bubble, never having breathed fresh air, or felt rain, snow, or wind? She had everything she needed but at the same time had nothing at all. Ignorance offers a slight reprieve but is never and should never be the solution.
In today's society, ignorant people are typically those who are not accepting of other races, religions, and lifestyles in general. Parents who refuse to vaccinate their children: ignorant. People who believe Islam is a religion for terrorists: ignorant. Does their ignorance make the world a better place? Are these people better because they are ignorant? Many "enlightened" people would say no. In one video, a woman said that every religion should be allowed to be practiced in America...and when asked of Christianity and Judaism she replied yes, but said no when asked of Islam. This lack of knowledge (not knowing that Islam is a peaceful religion) led her to deny the freedom of religion to the millions of people who practice Islam. Ignorance corrupts the same way power can. Living in ignorance can never be bliss, too many people could be hurt that way.
Living in ignorance does not make that information, that reality go away, all it achieves is giving one a false sense of security. The problem remains, however, it is shoved under the rug rather than being brought into the light. Ignorance cannot be bliss because of a seed of worry, of doubt, still remains. Even if the news is bad, take it. Knowledge is not evil or corrupt, according to philosophers, enlightenment is what we all seek. Rather than ignorance being bliss, why not change it to knowing is bliss?
