Ignorance and stupidity, not the same but easily confused

Published on May 13, 2010 By CharlesCS In Blogging

Just like a fellow JU member was inspired to write an article as a response to a debate on another article, I find myself in the same position about an interesting section of his comments and my response.

I like posting the definition of words in my blog in case any doubt of the meanings come to play in the discussion so here they are:

Stupidity - a poor ability to understand or to profit from experience

Ignorance - the lack of knowledge or education

As you can see the difference between the 2 is obvious, one lacks the information and the other lacks the ability to understand the information. Considering how this country, the good old US of A, went from "the Wild West" to "the land of the Brave and the home of the Free", while not perfect I tend to believe stupidity is not a common issue in this country; but ignorance on the other hand seems more common than common sense. This ignorance is a gold mine for politicians. Ignorance is the fuel that drives their agenda bandwagon. The fears they can impose on people who know little if anything about a particular topic they are preaching about is astonishing and scary. Ironically ignorance is more like super fuel to Democrats. Although any party here in the US (Republican, Democrat or Independent) can benefit from the average persons ignorance of particular issues; the Democrats (in my opinion) have the most to gain from it.

You see, it's been my experience, from what I read in the news, in books, on the Internet, what I hear and see on the news, talk shows and some "educational" programing and even what I have witnessed myself, that Democrats depend on the ignorance of the average American to fool them into thinking they do what they do in their best interest. They also depend on this ignorance to make them believe that any action they promise will be put to work immediately when in reality any Gov't policy passed will take time before any benefit can be see or felt. Take the recent healthcare bill that was passed; according to this Administration and the bill most of the effects won't kick in or be felt till 2014, yet on the other hand President Obama is going around saying the bill has already help millions of people in the US. Of course if you pay attention the help is actually future help as it hasn't happened yet but he claims it will. Gotta love how politicians sucker people into believe something is working by telling them it's coming soon. I don't know about you but it's my understanding that something already done implies that you can see the results already not that it's on it's way.

My favorite BS about Democrats is education. Now, you know that if people were educated enough they would not be ignorant enough to fall for the lies of a particular issue when they already are well informed of it. So to actually educate people properly would be a bad thing for Democrats as their need to have people ignorant would be disrupted by the lack of ignorant people and their ability to fool them will greatly diminish. It's the same as the idea of help the poor people. Supposely poor people are likely to vote Democrat because Democrats promise to help poor people (supposely Republicans hate poor people); but there's a problem with this concept. You see there is only one thing you can do to help a poor person and that is to get them out of poverty. But if you are no longer poor then what are you? Middle or rich. And since supposely rich people vote Republican and Middle class are more likely to be Republican as well, then educating and helping poor people out of poverty could actually benefit Republicans, right? These are all assumptions, but it's what people base their opinions on. I should know as most people who find out I am a Conservative tend to freak out as I am consider poor by their definition and I should be voting Democrat because of that according to them but I don't.

I love my country and I'll admit that I am not completely educated on every issue that arises on the news. But there is one thing I can say about myself, I won't just agree because the person making the statement, defending or attacking the issue happens to be Conservative or Republican (no Lemming behind this keyboard), I will agree because my current knowledge allows me to make the best educated opinion I can make and if I happen to come across more information, I will allow it to either reinforce my opinion or change it in any way. My opinions are Governed mostly by logic and partially by feeling, not the other way around.

My point is, don't be part of the ignorant crowd, at least stupid people have an excuse.

Link

Comments

Dr Guy

on May 13, 2010

at least stupid people have an excuse.

That should be plastered on every voting booth!

Now to the nit picking. I agree for the most part with your definitions, however I think the stupid one is not accurate enough. I think it is no ability, not a poor ability. Even a poor ability can be educated.

Second nit to pick. I do think that there are a lot of stupid people in this country. Not the vast majority, but a lot. Much of it is due to the education system, but some is due to simple human nature. This country was not founded by stupid or ignorant people, but the founders were in the minority. And that has not changed in 200+ years. But most of the non-stupid/ignorant are ignorant as you indicate.

Leauki had a great statement in one of his blogs about liberals. I told him to remove the word liberal, and he would have a great general statement. I called them idiots there, since I believe most are capable of learning, yet strongly resistant to it. In other words, they are not your definition of stupid or ignorant. Idiots seemed to be the best descriptive of them. And unfortunately, like the joke, they vote.

A friend sent me a link to a Michael Savage caller. I usually do not listen to Michael Savage as he is too polemic for me, but this one seemed to be another Michael Savage altogether. He was talking to an "Academician" as those in education like to call themselves. He was patient, and was guiding this idiot through some simple facts, and not allowing the idiot to start lecturing him like a student. By the end, the "Academician" could not discuss, debate or argue his point and started name calling, and the Micheal Savage I know came out with a vengeance!

That is why I think most are idiots. They are not stupid in the classical sense, and they have shown they can learn. They just REFUSE to learn, because it disrupts their world view.

Over all, an excellent article! I wonder who inspired you?

Bunnahabhain

on May 13, 2010

"Why waste time learning when ignorance is instantaneous?"

- Hobbes (of Calvin and Hobbes)

CharlesCS

on May 13, 2010

"Why waste time learning when ignorance is instantaneous?" - Hobbes (of Calvin and Hobbes)

Hah, gotta love that.

CharlesCS

on May 13, 2010

That should be plastered on every voting booth!

And on every computer too.

I see what you mean, but you can blame wordnet for that definition.

I think there are a lot of stupid people too. Our car accident rate, education system and our economy are proof of that. But I think we have more ignorant people, ignorant idiots to be more precise and you put it. Not only do they lack the knowledge, but they refuse to seek out the knowledge and instead will drink the kool-aid like good kids.

. By the end, the "Academician" could not discuss, debate or argue his point and started name calling, and the Micheal Savage I know came out with a vengeance!

That's when you get them. Kinda like a story the receptionist at my job was telling me today. She spoke about this religious guy who has some kind of talk show and he had this guy who was like a super atheist that had some really choice words for God. thru out the whole conversation the guys spent a lot of time calling God names and stuff, as if he was waiting for a chance to do it. But here's the kicker (which I think you might have figured out by now), an atheist, by definition, is "someone who denies the existence of god" yet this guy (according to the receptionist) was calling God names and insults such as murderer. But in order for God to be any of these insults and names this guy gave him, he would have to acknowledge his existence first. You can't call a something that, according to your beliefs, does not exist a murderer. That's how you get them, you use their own words against them, this is not ignorance, this is a stupid, idiotic ignorant.

Over all, an excellent article! I wonder who inspired you?

Some strange guy there.

Dr Guy

on May 14, 2010

et this guy (according to the receptionist) was calling God names and insults such as murderer.

That is funny when you think about it. It means he is blaming nothing, and getting mad at nothing! Which is an indication of his life. Nothing.

Not only do they lack the knowledge, but they refuse to seek out the knowledge and instead will drink the kool-aid like good kids.

If Jim Jones had not done his Kool Aid trick, someone would have to have invented it just so we can use the term. But that is exactly right. The vast majority of the stupid/ignorant people are not stupid, but are ignorant - out of choice.

CharlesCS

on May 14, 2010

but are ignorant - out of choice.

It's funny how freedom in this country can be both beneficial and harmful to the entire population. People having the right to be ignorant is kinda funny if you think about it.

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