Willful Ignorance. I just don't get it.

[Roland99]

The desire to NOT want to learn.

The fear of thought.

The fear of ideas.

Perhaps it's due to modern technology but, imo, never before in America have so many people (well, the
29%ers" anyway) eschewed the strive to educate themselves. Never before have so many just shut off their brains and blindly followed the faux news they see and hear in quick soundbites.

And now that willful ignorance is manifesting itself in a violent manner as we read of multiple offices of Congress members vandalized, gas lines of the homes of politicians' families are being cut, death threats issued to members of Congress, assassination threats made to the President.

Over what? A healthcare bill the Republicans would have voted for if *they* were the ones that thought it up? It's virtually identical to "Romneycare" instituted in Massachusetts by then Republican Governor Mitt Romney and includes a mandate of insurance that was first brought about by Republican President Richard Nixon and further supported as recently as 2008 by Republican Senator John McCain.

The Terrorist Party members are holding a rally in Searchlight, NV today with The Twit being their headline speaker, you betcha! That at least 1/4 of Americans find The Twit to be intellectually capable of holding the office of President of the United States of America is another damning indictment as to the state of this nation and how willful ignorance is running rampant.

Think I'm blowing smoke as to how ignorant these Terrorist Party members are? Check out this poll:
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=email_en&sid=aLBZwxqgYgwI

Want to see one of them up close and personal? Prepare yourself for rampant ignorance and hatred:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMIsmSml5gs

Many of them don't realize that Medicare, Social Security, even the Veterans Administration are social programs. Most of them even want government intervention to create more jobs yet they bitch and moan that the government is too big already and that people should be responsible for themselves? It's like some mutant form of Ayn Randian (lack of) thought.

They're angry. And rightfully so. But they're angry for the wrong reasons and at the wrong people. The very party that's led this nation to the brink of complete financial disaster with 30 years of Reaganomics continues to embrace and condone these domestic terrorists that spawned the likes of Timothy McVeigh.

If they want civil war, they'd best listen to this Marine first:
http://christopher-calbat.newsvine.com/_news/2010/03/26/4073188-an-article-i-wish-i-would-never-have-to-write-to-those-calling-for-a-civil-war-this-marine-wants-you-to-stop-and-think?pc=25&sp=0#discussion

It's going to take a long time for this country to recover from the damage the conservatives have wreaked for the last 3 decades. I hope at least a few of these willfully ignorant finally wake up and start thinking for themselves and realize their idols are really the devil.


And from the You Can't Make This Shit Up Department:

Terrorist Party member on the government roll
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/28/us/politics/28teaparty.html?pagewanted=1&


"Where ignorance is bliss, 'tis folly to be wise."

[BrklynLiberal]

1. There is no way anyone with half a brain could understand willful ignorance.

It is like trying to understand someone who is speaking in a language that you have never heard. Actually, That would probably be easier than trying to understand the mind of Teabagger or lemming repuke.

[babylonsister]

2. It's ideology for some of them.

I have two brothers who hated Dems during the Bush years, and still do, despite the positives that they 'could' avail themselves of via computers, news, etc. They don't want to.

Hannity rocks! Olbermann sucks! :eyes:

[tularetom]

3. And they will be among the first to get squashed like a bug

if the corporatists have their way.

[Ysabel]

10. corporatists make no distinction they crush all...

no wait little people are crushed first but oh wait (again) that's everybody well anyway what do you mean "if" ?

- no need to answer / i'm half asleeep...

[necso]

4. It's easy, arrogant, scornful (etc);

it comes naturally to some.

[Newest Reality]

5. I think part of the equation is based on

the desire to live in an alternative reality. If anyone can explain reality as a concrete actuality not based on our ability to perceive and process information, then do so.

There is, of course, what we assume to be "out there" and actual. Then, there is our abstraction based on both the way our sense function and the necessary filters we require to weed out potentially overwhelming, unnecessary, and even conflicting information. Plus, we are prone to generalize because it appears to be a biologically sound imperative: fight or flight with little time to speculate or philosophize about the matter as death might be imminent.

I think we are all products of our culture, one way or another. All of us harbor, and even try to live in, certain versions of what we think is real and true to various degrees. Our thinking is usually based on substitution of words and ideas for actuality anyway, so it all turns out to be a form of abstraction, an "about" that is never what it implies.

When the personal realities conflict with what appears to be occurring externally, people might tend to take the path of least resistance and, even resort to willful ignorance. Some reality tunnels may be more expansive and/or inclusive, but they are reality tunnels, nonetheless.

More understanding of that suggests a move towards more harmony and consensus, but our culture is a fantasy breeding machine and utilizes entertainment as a form of Soma that addicts the masses and influences and condones a multitude of forms of escapism that distract and divide.

[Roland99]

6. There's also the allure of groupthink

and fulfilling the human need of many to fit in.

[Newest Reality]

7. Yes, both a need and an enforcement.

People are stigmatized for not following norms and conventions set, (or adopted) by the group. It starts in school, so many of us have seen how it functions.

Having been an outsider all my life and now, living and being alone, it is very clear to me how the drive to belong affects us both subjectively in relation to our needs and objectively by how we are treated if we do not fit in because of our nature or our choices.

Xenophobia also plays strongly into this and I see a lot of that.

[Roland99]

8. It's not really unexpected that one particular demographic is mostly involved

50+ year-old white males with strong religious ties and a distrust of government.

All but ignored (and even vilified) by the left and largely ignored or taken for granted by the right, they've never really fit into either of the two parties.

They don't know where to turn now.

[Cid_B]

9. Human nature....

Since EVERYONE knows that the majority of people want UHC and at the same time EVERYONE knows that the majority of Americans want to be left alone at all times by the govt...

In other words, everyone, every side, every affiliation has their own personal delusions.

[Enthusiast]

11. All of their information sources

tell them the same thing.

When they turn on Fox or Limbaugh, or any other right wing radio, they hear the same thing.

There is no reason to consider a contrary perspective. Every time they turn on an information source one reinforces the others. So, they believe the information to be true-irrefutable.