The arrogant tentacles of ignorance are horrible. Like a giant octopus, ignorance raps its arrogance around an issue and chokes the life out of it (apologies to the octopus). And ignorance does not have any social, educational, or financial barriers. A person who holds a Ph.d and the local plumber can be just as arrogant because of ignorance. The fact is, we all are - the difference is in degrees. This arrogance from ignorance is fed by fear, stoked by today's media and various religious creeds.
Once upon a time, newspapers were a real and true source of righteous news. But in our world today, newspapers are struggling for circulation/readership against the internet onslaught (obviously, what you are reading at the moment is not in a newspaper). Now, many news publications offer sensationalist headlines with the hope and intention of retaining circulation. Television news broadcasts are not any better.
To curry favor (a.k.a. ratings), to win hearts and minds, and to convince people to adopt a certain point of view, this news source not only offers up carefully crafted sound bites but have stooped to the deviously low point of altering fact. And for what? To keep people ignorant, in fear, and to promote a sense of arrogance. Also, let's not leave out religion; it has played a major role in shaping people's opinions about damned near everything. And that too, is and was all about the cycle of ignorance/arrogance (here, think about the old saying - treat them like mushrooms - keep them in the dark and cover them with bullshit).
In most cases (if not all), religion is an exclusive thing and never inclusive; you are a member of the club or you are not. Club membership gives those members the right to dump heartache onto nonmembers. The fires of ignorance, arrogance, and fear were and still are fanned into wildfires by these religious sources. Our god is the true god, we are superior to you, etc., oh please. This crap is what is responsible for the Crusades, the Inquisition (with its' witch trial sub-set), and the goofiness that happened during the Reformation. All three legs of the Judeo-Christian Tradition are guilty of using the Mushroom Principal, as noted above. The above mentioned examples are what most westerners are familiar with; real history is full of atrocities committed in the name of religion. An intelligent person would think that these sources of ignorance/arrogance would have evolved but sadly, it appears that they have not. Ask any person who has been abused by a priest how they feel about the cover-ups. In the late 80's and 90's, the faithful packed their churches during orchestrated rallies in support of their priests. That is a great example of blind faith created by the ignorance/arrogance syndrome.
If a person is from a distant country, that does not make said person to be evil or bad in any manner. What makes a person true resides in his head and heart, not his place of origin. If a person thinks and believes differently than you that does not make that person evil or a menace, just different. But, we cannot ignore those people and their religion who use the media as a springboard for the Mushroom Principal. Because, they want you to be ignorant and arrogant in favor of their way of thinking; control the mind, the heart follows.
There are those that believe that blood and ethnicity are determining factors (think Hitler and Aryan supremacy). But, if a person needs a blood infusion or transfusion, does it matter where that blood comes from? Some people think so, and that is just plain ignorant.
We need to rid ourselves of that kind of ignorant, arrogant thinking. This does not mean that we should not be on guard to those that want to harm us. But, it still shocks me that educated people in the various sciences rabidly adhere to the Creationist view - because their religion tells them that Creationism is the truth and real science is a lie. That freaks me out. And, believing that a person's culture, language, and blood is inferior is ridiculous. When you search for fact in its' many forms you will absorb knowledge. Ignorant dogma must be pushed aside and relegated to dark history.
Copyright @2012 Terry Unger
