“Ignorance is bliss” – except when it’s not…

FAMOUS POETIC ORIGIN: “Where ignorance is bliss, ‘Tis folly to be wise.”        Thomas Gray (1716-1771)         English poet        From the last two lines of his poem “On a Distant Prospect of Eton College.”        This is the origin of the proverbial phrase “ignorance is bliss.” In the poem, it referred to young people who are happily oblivious to the difficulties they will face as adults — and to the ultimate, inescapable fate of death.        “Ignorance is bliss” is now more widely used in one of two ways: to suggest that it is sometimes better not to be aware of something that might make a person unhappy; or, as a satirical remark about people who try to ignore issues they should be concerned about and dealing with.

THE POSITIVE SIDE OF IGNORANCE: “Ignorance is bliss. Without sufficient appreciation of our own ignorance, we cease to be curious, we cease to be receptive to new ideas and we cease to be respectful of other people. Awareness of our own ignorance is a virtue: knowing that we do not know everything makes us humble, patient, open to compromise and collaboration. You may have noticed that these qualities are in short supply. Embracing your ignorance is good for you and it’s good for the world.”        William C. Dudley        President of Washington and Lee University        In his commencement speech to graduating students on May 25, 2017

THE NEGATIVE SIDE OF AWARENESS: “Comedians can be a sad bunch, you know. You know what’s the saying? Ignorance is bliss. So if ignorance is bliss, what’s the opposite of ignorance? Must not be bliss. And your job as a comedian, you know, is basically to notice everything. And the better the comedian, the more aware he or she is of the world around them. So you know, it can be not a happy place. Sometimes you can have too much information. Sometimes you can know too much.”        Chris Rock        American comedian and actor        His response in an August 12, 2014 interview about the death by suicide of his friend Robin Williams

STEPHEN FRY COUNTERQUOTE: “If ignorance is bliss, why aren’t there more happy people in the world?”        Stephen Fry        British actor, author and wit        On the BBC comedy panel game show QI (short for “Quite Interesting”)

THE MANLY AVERSION VERSION: “When it comes to anything found on the shelves of the feminine hygiene aisle, ignorance is bliss.”        Daniel M. Cruse        American author and EzineArticles.com contributor        In his post about “Air Intake Systems”

THE STD VARIATION: “When it comes to communicable diseases, ignorance is not bliss.”        Kay Robertson                   Communicable disease expert        At a recent public hearing in Helena, Montana

THE PARTY BOY’S ANSWER: DERRICK (actor John Cameron Mitchell): “O’Neal, settle a bet. Is ignorance bliss?” O’NEAL: (actor Matthew Borlenghi): “I don’t know. I just wanna be happy!”        In the TV series Party Girl (1996)

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