Do you think it's better to be Completely Ignorant or Hyper Aware?

[thegreenyogi]

[OneViewpoint]

Oh boy, I've pondered this one a lot. It's sort of my personal continuous poll for life.

Part of what I'm doing when I'm observing people from the sidelines and hoping like hell they don't try to chat me up is categorizing them.

• OK, that's a dumb one (40%)
• That's an average one (50%)
• Oh, that's a smart one. (10%)

After that, I can't help but look at how they interact with each other and their apparent comfort and the ease with which they move through life.

What I notice is...

Dumb Ones: Really don't ever see the fucking train coming at them. So on the one hand they really are blissfully unaware. On the other hand they can feel lost when it comes to politics, economics, career, science, technology, and history. They can feel disrespected when they offer their blissfully unaware opinions and become resentful when others constantly point out why they are wrong.

Average Ones: Exist pretty much in the real world. They get most of what is going on around them. They can still get lost in the technical details but they simply don't care enough to invest more time and effort. Good enough is good enough for them to get by in life. And they get by OK with that.

Smart Ones: Are the miserable bastards, LOL. They see almost every train coming. They see the issues in politics, economics, career, science, technology, and history. And they can't stop thinking about it. They see all the missed opportunities. The injustices. The tragedies. And they have precious few people they can talk to about it. It constantly frustrates the crap out of them. But they find pleasure in knowledge. So they can't stop.

Which type is better off? I think the dumb ones want to be like the smart ones because they don't understand the cost. I don't think the smart ones ever aspire to be like the dumb ones. Maybe the average ones who don't care enough to wish for anything different have figured out the key to moderate happiness in life.

[Lliam]

It is far more desirable to be informed than ignorant.
Becoming informed requires being aware.
I am leery of the word hyper because it sounds obsessive or compulsive. And it could include paranoia.

I am curious and love learning new things. I love learning about the true conspiracies and conspirators and their motives. I am eager to hear "conspiracy theories" and seek out answers to narratives that are full of holes. If a topic is verboten, I am all the more curious.

"Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect." - Mark Twain

The more a person know, the more they realize how much they don't know. Therefore, I don't get locked into beliefs. I keep an open mind and can revise or change my opinions as more information becomes available.

[DishLady]

Depends. For example, I have strong situational awareness of things, so I pick up on people's cues very easily. HOWEVER when it comes to guys flirting, bc of my limited exposure to certain thoughts or activities, I end up really not catching on to some things a guy is saying, which guys tend to find very sweet, esp when paired with my harder (no-nonsense) work and social style where I'm confident and funny.

[HawkPerception]

They say ignorance is bliss, but I'd still choose being hyper aware. I'll take the harsh truth any day. As an example, if my partner is cheating on me behind my back, I'd rather know so I can leave their ass rather than not know as they continue that crap.

[Zack-Bann]

As someone’s who’s hyper aware I often wish I knew less things
There’s a lot of bad out there


But there’s also good.
And ignoring that would be a shame

[Nikki1989]

It is better to have selective, intentional awareness. It's worth developing, knowing what's actually worth your attention and what's just noise dressed up as importance.

[Shiprex]

Aware, then you can take decisions knowing your values are intact instead of risking feeling caught out.

[Anonymous]

There are times I'm dazed in my thoughts, and can't see even people I know walking down the street... but mostly - I'm Hyper Aware, and I notice everything.

[Opinion Owner]

So, I don't think it's good to be completely ignorant.

[AgentG111]

I believe if I was the first I'd cease to exist.

[msc545]

Both of those things are a real problem for very different reasons

[sage2021]

Aware. Although they say that ignorance is bliss.

[Cidknee]

Ignorant.

[Paige2006]

Aware