Everyday, from the very moment we wake up, right up until the moment we fall asleep, our senses incessantly relay a plethora of information. This information is used by our brains to either consciously or sub-consciously assess, plan, act, react, memorise, recall and much more. Effectively, the knowledge we harbor acts as a central junction for reference, providing us with the capacity to achieve everything from the most mundane task, to the utterly phenomenal; The more we learn, the greater our potential. In this piece, I would like to convey one of my biggest concerns, which also aids in the retardation of societal progress and well-being; The abject practice of 'Willful Ignorance'.
From early childhood to adolescence, we absorb and retain an innumerable amount of information, constantly asking questions, probing our environment, learning from our mistakes and developing intricate concepts of all kinds, to aid in our ever growing and elaborate understanding of our personal and social lives. As any parent can attest, children have an almost obsessive fondness with the question 'Why?', 'Why are Trees green?', 'Why do Dog's bark?', 'Why do i have to go to School?'. Their inquisitiveness also extends to 'How?' and beyond. Eventually most will dull their curiosity with responsibility, mature, find themselves, and a place within society, fall into a routine and become intellectually content.
When recalling my childhood, I can vividly remember similar moments of unremitting questions, slowly driving my parent's mad. In time, my questions ventured far from my immediate surroundings and rode upon the shoulders of some of our greatest philosophical minds and ingenious scientific innovators. Clearly biting off more than I could chew at such a young age and overwhelmed by the sheer scope of the icebergs' tip, I reluctantly accepted the painstaking pace of my self education. For many years, experiencing long periods of frustration due to my ignorance, punctuated by momentary, ecstatic and blissfully relieving glimpses of comprehension, sustained my intellectual hunger. However, over the years, the onslaught of obligations, from my schooling to a part-time job and the sudden loss of my father at the crescendo of my formative years, dejected my fervent hunger for knowledge for years to come. My early twenties brought with them a renewed spark of intellectual curiosity, but to continue this journey once more, I thought it prudent to accept the Socratic Maxim of my ignorance.
So why is it that we Humans, with such an inquisitive nature, fall into the void that is intellectual apathy? Why are we so 'willing', to be 'willfully ignorant'? I believe that one plausible answer can be derived from 'Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs', although it has been objected that this theory is overly 'individualistic' in it's explanatory scope, due to it's failure in recognizing and adjusting for the needs in 'collectivist' societies, we can nevertheless, draw parallels to better understand and address our own points of concern. 'Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs' was proposed by Abraham H. Maslow, in his 1943 paper, A Theory of Human Motivation. This Hierarchy is often represented by a pyramid, with 'Physiological' needs occupying the lowest layer, followed by 'Safety', 'Love/Belonging', 'Esteem' then 'Self-actualization' (which includes, 'acceptance of facts') residing at it's peak. Maslow's theory submits that the lowest layer of needs must be met, before an individual will become motivated to move on to the next layer above. What we can take from this is that regardless of the order and importance of each layer, one must have certain needs met before feeling a strong desire to gain knowledge and abolish their ignorance. What it comes down to, is the level of value we place on such an undertaking.
Just imagine a world where knowledge is not cherished, where it is not valued, recognized or sought-after. Just think where we would now be, if people like Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein, Galileo Galilei, Aristotle and the countless multitudes of exceptional Human beings did not contribute the things they did. At this point, i would like to stress that I am not purely endorsing intellectual curiosity due to the physical utility of such knowledge. Rather, I am advocating an increased interest in the attainment of knowledge for it's own sake. Think about it, what are the physical utilities in enjoying Shakespeare's works? or a Mozart Symphony? Reading a novel or listening to music? Admiring artwork or travelling to exotic locations? None, yet we surround and immerse ourselves within a world of entertainment. The realization that must be had, is that without ample knowledge of the world, we fail to 'Fully' appreciate it, this deficiency leads to intellectual apathy and without an understanding of the world in which one lives, one cannot expect to make informed decisions towards the betterment and well-being of themselves and society in the long run. Why not only pursue the knowledge that is of immediate interest then? The trouble with such reasoning is our ignorance (how would i know that 'Z' would be of interest to me, if knowledge of 'Y' is required to spark my interest in 'Z', but i ignore 'Y' due to my shortsighted tendencies?). Knowledge is the foundation of wisdom, although one cannot know everything while on the never ending road to wisdom, each enlightening milestone provides a slightly broader view.
We have reached a point where one can be marginalized for reading a book or saying anything insightful, there are always people ready and willing to belittle valiant efforts made towards the attainment of knowledge, most of the time this is due to their own lack of value placed upon intellectual discourse. I have never known a society to fail due solely to desiring knowledge and truth. What could be more wondrous and beautiful than treading down the path created by the great minds before us, to see what they have seen, to know what they have known, to investigate and contribute to (however minuscule the supplement) this stupendously vast sea of accomplishment? What better way to celebrate our tiny speck of a species in the grand scheme of an ever expanding universe? What virtuous way to pay homage to this inexplicably, breathtakingly awe-inspiring Human achievement, that is the culmination of all we have ever known; than to be a part of it?
