Ignorance is Bliss?

By Veron | Posted in Uncategorized

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“We are like sculptors, constantly carving out of others the image we long for, need, love or desire, often against reality, against their benefit, and always, in the end, a disappointment, because it does not fit them.”

~ Anais Nin (1903-1977)

Tell me, would you rather be ignorant and live in a fool’s paradise, or learn something new about someone and be disappointed by it?

Where do we draw the line on what we should or should not know?

Discuss.

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Veron Ang is the founder and chief editor of Sparklette. She lives in Singapore and has dined and traveled across the world. She also runs Sparklette Studio, a web design and WordPress development firm. If you'd like to connect with her, head on over to the contact page or follow her personal updates on Twitter: @VeronSG.

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11 responses

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DT
June 26

I won’t consider ignorance as being in a fool’s paradise. Rather, it will create an identity unique to one’s self. Ultimately the choice lie with an individual to disregard particular concerns, and listen to one’s voice.

The voice within is of utmost importance, not the voice of others.
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Michael Baxter
June 26

I think that it is a moot question, who the heck doesn’t have the power to create their own paradise?
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DK
June 26

Well…. just look at Forest Gump. :D
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Pris
June 26

Truth! Always. Know whatever you can and decide from there.
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Veron
June 26

That’s hawt! Love you, gal!

You said exactly what I feel.
Reply
The Cooking Ninja
June 26

It depends on individual and situations. Sometimes it is blissful to be ignorant about certain things and other times it is better to know about it.
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Veron
June 26

Why would ignorance be blissful when the reality is not what we think it is? The “bliss” isn’t even real in the first place. It’s like we’re living on borrowed time until we learn the truth finally.
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Falchion
June 26

I agree with Pris and DT. Always find out all that you can. Then from there you will see if you can deal with whatever you have discovered. If you can deal with it, then good; you have discovered more about yourself as well as the person.

If you can’t handle or deal with it, then at the least you have discovered a weak area about yourself and can then improve and change from there. And if that person is understanding and willing to give that time to you to do so, then when you do finally accept it, your friendship would be all that much stronger.
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cho
June 26

I will say it depends on the situation and who does it concern. If the whole issue does not concern me or anyone who I know personally, I will prefer not to know too much. This is when ignorance is bliss.

But if the issue involves me, no matter how painful the truth is, I will want to know. It is better to know now and get hurt and disappointed once, than to find out the truth myself, and feel betrayed and foolish later.

It is always better to come clean about a person, learn something new, get disappointed, than to foolishly fall into the trap of the so called bliss. It is just a phrase to comfort those who dare not face the truth
Reply
eujzin
June 29

Philip Wylie says, “Ignorance is not bliss, it is oblivion”
and Confucious said “Three things cannot long be hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth.”

So… ya man…living in ‘blissful ignorance’ is just delaying the inevitable. indeed, know the truth and decide from there. and also, the truth shall set you free!

This is the voice of experience speaking…
And the wisdom of others:

“I am an advocate for awareness, the truth, and a person’s right to know. I believe that in the absence of the truth, all of us stand helpless to defend ourselves, our families and our health, which is the greatest gift we have.” – Erin Brockovich

“The truth which has made us free will in the end make us glad (blissful) also.” – Felix Adler

“Truth is not only violated by falsehood; it may be equally outraged by silence (ignorance).” – Henri Frederic Amiel

“Our lives improve only when we take chances – and the first and most difficult risk we can take is to be honest with ourselves.” – Walter Anderson
Reply
fluencev
July 6

我愿意通过自己的努力去发现真理，明晰周围的事情。
为了人类的进步做出自己的贡献，
思想和行动是我们能以一种唯一的不可替代的姿态存在这个宇宙中的两个重要因素。
思考o(∩_∩)o…
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