being frank

I once joked to a friend that I could tolerate ignorance but not stupidity. For me, ignorance was simply a state of being uninformed of certain facts. Stupidity on the other hand, was when a person had full access to the facts yet chose to follow a train of thought that ignored knowledge and opted for flying in the face of logic or reasoning.

I’ve always felt somewhat smug in that sardonic assessment and would bring this observation up on occasion when stupidity reared its ugly, stubborn head. However, I have as of late found myself having to revise that pithy observation, as I realized that I left out a rather large and obtrusive catalyst – that being the oft-blind objectivity of human nature. In some instances, ignorance is not simply a matter of lacking facts; it’s the unwillingness to seek them out. It seems that stupidity is sometimes driven by either dimwitted or malicious intent; ignorance may be driven by apathy.

History has shown us time and time again that we pay a price for ignorance. This is one of the primary reasons we place such a high value on education, and why it is such a heavy and often contested issue. We always argue about the price we have to pay for knowledge, yet we’re all too aware of the subsequent cost of its absence. It’s no great secret that when we become informed, we become empowered. And empowerment is one of the key positive catalysts for change in any society. In the end, ignorance foments allegiance; awareness engenders wisdom.

So why choose ignorance? I’m using choice here as a delineator, for there are countless scenarios where knowledge is kept at bay for a variety of reasons. They can be acts of irresponsibility committed by unwitting parents or indifferent teachers, or well-planned individualistic or political acts of subversion or subterfuge. Regardless of the choice, each leads to the same unalterable fate; that of a society disarmed of its greatest weapon in the fight for justice, equality and unanimity.

In this our current world landscape filled with packaged lies from authoritative cronies fueled by single-minded conceitedness, greed, or an abhorrence for anything that smacks of solidarity, we must be forever vigilant of those acts that may rob us of the right – the need – to acquire knowledge. To those of you in whom knowledge has been entrusted, you bear the difficult task of separating personal beliefs from objective reality. You must find a way to present the truth without any vainglorious swagger; without that knee-jerk reaction to forge facts into a more palatable version that serves to ease your own conscience. Knowledge is neither bitter nor sweet; righteous nor evil; it just is. It allows each of us to form a clear and unvarnished image of what exists around us, protecting us from the confusion disseminated by scheming minds or obstructive hearts.

Stupidity always travels out in the open and is readily revealed by the light of objectivity, clarity and common sense. As such, it is easily identified and often lives a short and shallow life. Ignorance on the other hand, resides in the shadows. It’s found in those very places where fear, deceit, and distrust ferment and spread. It is the obligation of every person who seeks to promote the existence of justice, peace and social harmony to rise above apathy and hypocrisy and shine a light on the proper path towards knowledge. It is not an easy path and may not even be a profitable one. But it is the only path that will lead us towards the survival of our world in every facet of that meaning.