Debate: Is ignorance bliss?

[Yllarius]

A question posed by a friend I'd thought I'd bring over.

Lately I'm becoming more and more cynical of mainstream society. The fads, trends, entertainment, and the people who are caught up in the current of the mindless masses. I used to be just as caught up as everyone else; but through time, my rose-colored glasses are off and I just am not entertained by what is supposed to be entertaining. The world isn't all it's caught up to be. But yet those who are so naively caught up in the mainstream seem so happy to be willingly ignorant.

So I was wondering, is it better to be caught up in the mainstream trends or is it better to see the world and all the stupid people in it for what they really are?

My response:
In the end Ignorance is bliss, but only when it's total ignorance.

To know OF something, but not ABOUT can be torture.

It's a personality dependant question, if your caught up in trends than sometimes it's better. but if your like me, (and I think the majority here at 3roms.) you just don't give a nuts. But I'd rather see the stupid people and not be a part of it, rather than follow.

Imagine if you will, it's like a road. those following the trends are driving along the road at high-speeds taking whatever curve it throws. WHile those of use who aren't are taking our time, going where we want, and looking at those drivers like there stupid because their going to crash.

[Bharune]

Well 'better' and 'preferable' are two different things. I've thought along those same lines before when I've looked around at my ignorant, shallow peers and seen how blissfully content they seem in their closed worlds of fashion magazines, sports, and celebrity news. I'll admit to having been envious on occasion.

But when it comes down to it, I wouldn't forsake my awareness for anything, even bliss. Sometimes it can drag down a purpose, but I'd hate to be one of those gaggling, air-headed girls even more.

And it's easy to say not to care, but as you get older apathy drags on the soul even worse than awareness. It's much better to take what you know and use it to fuel something you're passionate about.

Also, when the cynicism starts to set in, remember there are many, many good things as well.

[simonmagwitch]

admin said:

Well 'better' and 'preferable' are two different things. I've thought along those same lines before when I've looked around at my ignorant, shallow peers and seen how blissfully content they seem in their closed worlds of fashion magazines, sports, and celebrity news. I'll admit to having been envious on occasion.

But when it comes down to it, I wouldn't forsake my awareness for anything, even bliss. Sometimes it can drag down a purpose, but I'd hate to be one of those gaggling, air-headed girls even more.

And it's easy to say not to care, but as you get older apathy drags on the soul even worse than awareness. It's much better to take what you know and use it to fuel something you're passionate about.

Also, when the cynicism starts to set in, remember there are many, many good things as well.

Keep in mind that if you were one of the vapid, you would no longer care if you were vapid or not, so long as you fit in. As I stand now, I would be utterly devastated if I were to see myself become one of the functionally illiterate, ignorant masses we see so many of, but I'm certain that many of them would be devastated to become "One of those weird people"...

For the longest time, I consciously avoided a large number of trends simply because I didn't want to be associated with the types of people also into it. I avoided the Algea-type Animes, for example, in favor of the lesser known and often lower quality stuff just to appear edgy and unique. I've recently become more mature regarding the subject, allowing me to explore and understand just why the trends get popular in the first place. Though, one has to admit we all follow trends. The Hot-Topic Shoppers are just as pidgeon holed as the Abercrombie Shoppers; as the Nirvana Shoppers; as the Thrift Shop Shoppers... We all learn from the examples of others, regardless of the rebellion we wish to instill. Just because a trend isn't popular enough to be mainstream, it doesn't disqualify it as a trend.

To reuse Yllarius' road metaphor: Just because we don't follow the paved road doesn't mean we aren't following a path. There are no longer any untraveled roads after thousands of years of human life and thought. The less-than-mainstream routes are just the roads less traveled...