The Intelligence in Ignorance

Ethan philosophizes on knowledge, ignorance, and ideology.

Christopher Hitchens once remarked that “It’s only when you have gazed on the lower slopes of your own ignorance and begun to understand the great vistas of non-knowledge that you have, that you can claim to have been educated at all”. Recently, I found that one of my favourite authors, Thomas Sowell, said the same thing: “It takes considerable knowledge just to realize the extent of your own ignorance”. After a brief Google search, the sentiment appears to originate from Confucius. While the relationship between the two seems paradoxical, I find it appealing but also disappointingly uncommon.

pixabay

Enemy Number One is ideology. While realising one’s ignorance imbues a sense of realism, humility, and perspective, it can also produce discomfort and insecurity. Afterall, one’s knowledge and one’s ignorance hardly exist in equal proportion. Instead, ideology furnishes a one-word answer to all of our problems. A common and recurring ideology blames a single group of people for all that is afflicting a country. Another, one of the most prevalent today, is to assume that all differences between groups are a consequence of discrimination. One need not look at mundane matters which are not someone’s fault: culture (what is most valued?), history, geography (degree of isolation), familial composition (strong or less so), education, average age in a population (is the median person 55 or 25?) or the plethora of other features, including discrimination, which determine outcome. As Sowell argues, modern intellectuals are as attached to this as the eugenicists and “scientific” racists of the early twentieth century who attempted to explain every conceivable difference with reference to genetic quality. Even at the time, there were reams of evidence to the contrary, but when did evidence bother an ideologue?

I cannot think of a single phenomenon that can withstand this kind of simplistic analysis. Rather than grappling with the complexities of the case, these explanations allow one to feel like they know something – nay, that they know everything. Worse still, if all problems are reducible to a single cause, then it is reasonable to tramp the streets toward a single solution (after all, how many placards are large enough for nuance?). Given their power to rally less than thoughtful activists, I have come to prefer the notion that people do not have ideologies – ideologies have them. This particular parasite produces automatons – replications, much like the hatcheries of Huxley’s Brave New World.

pixabay

The very fact that someone can suggest “a Marxist would say…”, “a Christian would say…”, or “a Feminist would say…” surely shows that the individual person doing the saying is not present. Rather, there is just an obedient pet, parroting the words of another person or the news publication they happen to read (if I wanted to hear what The Guardian or The Daily Mail thought, I would read them myself). As Jordan Peterson said to his GQ interviewer, they could be replaced with some else who thinks the same way and the discussion would be identical, as if it had been rewound and played again. That is not a trivial matter of being bored or unsurprised – it seems to be a rejection of the fundamental point of dialogue. If the only reason for one’s presence is to present the “picket-sign” views of someone else, then that is not a conversation. If two similarly possessed people get together, it is just a game of ‘Rock-em, Sock-em Robots’ – a zero-sum war, rather than a trading of partial ideas to create something more whole.

Why would one give into this zombified non-existence? Well, the alternate question would be, why go to the effort of reading both Milton Friedman’s Capitalism and Freedom and Keyne’s The General Theory? Why read Christopher Hitchens’s God is not Great and his brother’s The Rage Against God? If we confine ourselves to the Thomases, why bother with Sowell and Piketty? Few people have the time to investigate point and counterpoint to this extent. Indeed, it is not so much this that I find lacking in contemporary discourse. Rather, it is the ability to expound upon a subject with profound certainty without having engaged any of the literature or data in a serious way, whether the topic be the average variations in earnings between men and women or the good and evil in a country’s history.

pixabay

That is the opiate of ideology. To recognise that the matter is not caused by a single factor would be to accept the uncomfortable extent of one’s own ignorance. Ironically, by not realising this, the great vistas of one’s non-knowledge are made all too clear to everyone else. Perhaps, if I can quote him without appearing pretentious, David Hume said it best: “Where men are the most sure and arrogant, they are commonly the most mistaken, and have there given reins to passion, without that proper deliberation and suspense, which can alone secure them from the grossest absurdities”.

Comments

comments

258 thoughts on “The Intelligence in Ignorance

  1. Hi! Someone in my Myspace group shared this site with us so I came to check it out. I’m definitely loving the information. I’m bookmarking and will be tweeting this to my followers! Wonderful blog and brilliant style and design.|

  2. I’m often to blogging and i actually appreciate your content. The article has really peaks my interest. I’m going to bookmark your web site and preserve checking for brand new information.

  3. Greetings! This is my 1st comment here so I just wanted to give a quick shout out and say I truly enjoy reading your articles. Can you suggest any other blogs/websites/forums that cover the same subjects? Thank you so much!|

  4. When I originally commented I clicked the “Notify me when new comments are added” checkbox and now each time a comment is added I get several e-mails with the same comment. Is there any way you can remove people from that service? Cheers!|

  5. An interesting discussion is worth comment. I believe that you ought to write more about this issue, it may not be a taboo matter but usually people do not talk about these issues. To the next! Cheers!!|

  6. Its like you read my mind! You seem to know a lot about this, like you wrote the book in it or something. I think that you could do with some pics to drive the message home a bit, but instead of that, this is wonderful blog. A fantastic read. I will definitely be back.|

  7. You really make it appear so easy with your presentation but I find this topic to be actually one thing that I think I would never understand. It seems too complicated and extremely extensive for me. I’m having a look ahead for your subsequent publish, I will try to get the cling of it!|

  8. Incredible! This blog looks exactly like my old one! It’s on a totally different topic but it has pretty much the same page layout and design. Wonderful choice of colors!|

  9. Hey! I know this is kinda off topic however , I’d figured I’d ask. Would you be interested in trading links or maybe guest authoring a blog post or vice-versa? My site addresses a lot of the same topics as yours and I believe we could greatly benefit from each other. If you happen to be interested feel free to shoot me an email. I look forward to hearing from you! Great blog by the way!|

  10. Hmm is anyone else encountering problems with the images on this blog loading? I’m trying to find out if its a problem on my end or if it’s the blog. Any responses would be greatly appreciated.|

  11. I’m still learning from you, but I’m improving myself. I certainly enjoy reading everything that is written on your website.Keep the aarticles coming. I enjoyed it!

  12. Good day! This is kind of off topic but I need some guidance from an established blog. Is it very hard to set up your own blog? I’m not very techincal but I can figure things out pretty fast. I’m thinking about creating my own but I’m not sure where to begin. Do you have any tips or suggestions? Cheers

  13. If you desire to increase your familiarity just keep visiting this web site and be updated with the most recent gossip posted here.|

  14. I¦ll immediately grasp your rss as I can not to find your e-mail subscription link or e-newsletter service. Do you have any? Please let me know in order that I may just subscribe. Thanks.

  15. Hi there, I discovered your site by way of Google whilst looking for a comparable topic, your web site came up, it appears great. I’ve bookmarked it in my google bookmarks.

  16. I have been surfing online more than 2 hours today, yet I never found any interesting article like yours. It is pretty worth enough for me. Personally, if all webmasters and bloggers made good content as you did, the net will be much more useful than ever before.|

  17. Hello, Neat post. There’s an issue with your website in web explorer, could check this?K IE nonetheless is the market chief and a huge portion of people will leave out your excellent writing because of this problem.

  18. Hmm is anyone else having problems with the images on this blog loading? I’m trying to figure out if its a problem on my end or if it’s the blog. Any responses would be greatly appreciated.

  19. Thank you for the auspicious writeup. It in fact was a amusement account it. Look advanced to far added agreeable from you! However, how can we communicate?|

  20. Hi there! This is kind of off topic but I need some help from an established blog. Is it very difficult to set up your own blog? I’m not very techincal but I can figure things out pretty fast. I’m thinking about making my own but I’m not sure where to start. Do you have any points or suggestions? With thanks|

  21. Hi, i think that i saw you visited my site thus i came to “return the favor”.I am attempting to find things to improve my site!I suppose its ok to use some of your ideas!!|

  22. Fantastic website. A lot of useful information here. I am sending it to a few pals ans additionally sharing in delicious. And of course, thank you for your sweat!

  23. As I web-site possessor I believe the content matter here is rattling wonderful , appreciate it for your efforts. You should keep it up forever! Best of luck.

  24. you’re really a good webmaster. The web site loading speed is incredible. It seems that you’re doing any unique trick. Also, The contents are masterwork. you’ve done a fantastic job on this topic!

  25. Nice read, I just passed this onto a colleague who was doing some research on that. And he actually bought me lunch as I found it for him smile Therefore let me rephrase that: Thank you for lunch! “Without friends no one would choose to live, though he had all other goods.” by Aristotle.

  26. I used to be recommended this blog by way of my cousin. I’m not positive whether or not this publish is written by means of him as nobody else recognise such special approximately my difficulty. You are wonderful! Thank you!

  27. Great – I should definitely pronounce, impressed with your web site. I had no trouble navigating through all the tabs and related info ended up being truly easy to do to access. I recently found what I hoped for before you know it at all. Quite unusual. Is likely to appreciate it for those who add forums or something, website theme . a tones way for your client to communicate. Nice task.

  28. I have learn several excellent stuff here. Definitely price bookmarking for revisiting. I surprise how so much attempt you set to create any such magnificent informative website.

  29. Do you have a spam problem on this blog; I also am a blogger, and I was wanting to know your situation; we have created some nice methods and we are looking to trade techniques with others, be sure to shoot me an email if interested.

  30. Very efficiently written information. It will be useful to anyone who utilizes it, as well as yours truly :). Keep up the good work – can’r wait to read more posts.

  31. hello there and thank you for your information – I have definitely picked up something new from right here. I did however expertise some technical issues using this site, as I experienced to reload the website many times previous to I could get it to load properly. I had been wondering if your web hosting is OK? Not that I’m complaining, but slow loading instances times will sometimes affect your placement in google and could damage your high-quality score if advertising and marketing with Adwords. Well I’m adding this RSS to my e-mail and can look out for much more of your respective interesting content. Ensure that you update this again very soon..

  32. Terrific paintings! That is the type of info that are meant to be shared around the internet. Shame on the seek engines for not positioning this submit upper! Come on over and talk over with my site . Thanks =)

  33. I was recommended this website by my cousin. I am not sure whether this post is written by him as no one else know such detailed about my trouble. You are amazing! Thanks!

  34. Pingback: Kampus Islami
  35. What Is LeanBiome?LeanBiome is a natural weight loss supplement that reverses bacterial imbalance in your gut microbiome with the help of nine science-backed lean bacteria species with Greenselect Phytosome, a caffeine-free green tea extract crafted with patented

  36. Pingback: free adult webcams
  37. Nice read, I just passed this onto a colleague who was doing a little research on that. And he actually bought me lunch because I found it for him smile Therefore let me rephrase that: Thank you for lunch!

  38. Pingback: Kuliah Murah
  39. Pingback: 918kiss
  40. Greetings from Colorado! I’m bored to death at work so I decided to check out your blog on my iphone during lunch break. I really like the info you present here and can’t wait to take a look when I get home. I’m surprised at how quick your blog loaded on my mobile .. I’m not even using WIFI, just 3G .. Anyways, very good blog!

  41. I will immediately seize your rss as I can not in finding your e-mail subscription link or e-newsletter service. Do you have any? Kindly let me understand in order that I could subscribe. Thanks.

  42. Hey! This is my first comment here so I just wanted to give a quick shout out and tell you I truly enjoy reading through your posts. Can you recommend any other blogs/websites/forums that go over the same topics? Thank you so much!

  43. Hey! Do you know if they make any plugins to help with SEO? I’m trying to get my blog to rank for some targeted keywords but I’m not seeing very good gains. If you know of any please share. Appreciate it!

  44. Great post. I was checking constantly this blog and I’m impressed! Extremely useful info specially the last part 🙂 I care for such info a lot. I was looking for this particular info for a long time. Thank you and good luck.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

THE STAND