Why is ignorance so dangerous, and how do we combat it?

As Mark Twain said, “It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so.”

The recognition that “I don’t know” is a good thing. It creates a space for investigation. Even if that investigation doesn’t culminate in some finished “truth”, at least it hasn’t closed the door on the matter.

Thinking you already know the answer means that there’s no more need for investigation. That precludes any possibility for evolution/growth. That’s bad enough when your certainty is based on near-truths; but when it’s based on patently erroneous information, then you’re not only stuck, you’re stuck on the wrong course.

We combat it by questioning, questioning, questioning…

Ignorance is dangerous because it leads to this, and this, and this and this and this and 8 years of this

Ignorance about which thing? I am ignorant about tons and tons of topics. It isn’t necessarily dangerous.

@Gifted_With_Languages Great question!

@thorninmud & @ragingloli Great Answers. I’m currently reading Carl Sagan’s book, Science as a Candle in the Dark: The Demon Haunted World which deals with the lack of critical thinking skills being taught in today’s schools. I think is is this paucity, @JLeslie, more than any other, that makes today’s Internet and media connected world so fire for absurdly foolish conspiracy theories.

When I went to school, basic science classes explained not just what science has learned, but far more importantly, how the scientific method operates to separate the wheat from the chaff. Today I run into people who are college graduates with BS degrees who don’t know why Ancient Alien Theory, Crystal Power and the Theory of Relativity are not all on the same footing. They are clueless about how one applies critical thinking, how one seeks credible evidence. I think George Carlin had it right about what’s wrong with education today.

It makes people susceptible to manipulation, such that they vote against their own interests. In other words, what @ragingloli said.

Ignorance is not dangerous. Ignorance is bliss.

@rojo Is bliss ignorance then? There are those who would say it must be.

I have heard that saying for years. I am not sure I believe it but sometimes life is easier if you do not know the details.

@rojo True except when you are contemplating a nice swim to escape the summer heat, and are ignorant of the fact the waters are filled with hungry crocodiles—and a vast number of similar scenarios.

As I said, I am not sure I believe it. It is just something that has been passed on.

Ignorance can screw an entire planet by claiming humans have nothing to do with global warming.

@mattbrowne It may be the ignorant who are swallowing that turd, but the people squeezing it out of their collective asses aren’t ignorant at all. They know they are destroying the planet and are just so greedy they couldn’t care less, even if their own children and grandchildren suffer the consequences of their greed. They care only about themselves in the here and now.

@ETpro – How do they react when confronted with their pro-life / anti-abortion stance? How do they explain the contradiction?

@mattbrowne It’s just another wedge issue useful to gather political support for their agenda. When you only comprise 1/10th of 1 percent of the electorate or less, you can’t influence elections without roping in a large contingent of easily duped people with hot button issues you’re perfectly willing to claim to support so long and they bend over and let you fuck them over for all they are worth. Please recognize that pro life only extends till birth. From there on, even the most adamant pro lifers say you’re on your own.