Ignorance is Bliss?

Actually, I think am more inclined to think knowledge is power. At least if you know about something you can decide for yourself what action to take or not take. I want to know everything about everything.

“What you don’t know can’t hurt you “is another way of saying ignorance is bliss. But sometimes what you don’t know CAN hurt you. Before I was diagnosed with diabetes, I didn’t have to take medication and a shot in my stomach every night and count carbs and prick my finger twice a day and visit a specialist 4 times a year to make sure that all of the above was doing what it is supposed to do. But eventually the truth would have surfaced and I’d be much worse off. The damage would be done. So I’m glad that I was tested and found it out. Now I have the knowledge to keep the damage to a minimum.

I didn’t know that someone I loved was seeing someone else behind my back. Eventually when the truth came out I was much more inclined to wish I had known about that so I could have ended the relationship a lot sooner. The worse part was that a lot of people who cared about me had the knowledge but decided for me that ignorance was the best course. But what I didn’t know DID hurt me in the long run. And I wasted a lot of time on someone who didn’t deserve my loyalty.

Oh, I suppose there are times when I wish I wasn’t knowledgeable about something. Like the fact that the Cajun Linguini Pasta at Red Lobster has 1600 calories. Or that a restaurant that I love has a roach problem (thanks newspaper). I would prefer not to know what’s in a hot dog. I don’t really want to know how to gut a fish. I don’t care about the latest technological gadgets because I’m still trying to figure out all the bells and whistles of my original I-phone. I had the same 1983 model console tv until a couple of years ago. I didn’t realize the picture quality was not up to par until I got a new tv. So maybe ignorance is bliss.

And there are some big things I guess I would rather have not experienced first hand. Divorce. I could have remained ignorant of how horrible an experience that is. Losing my mom. I wish I was still ignorant to that kind of loss. On the other hand, those experiences and the first hand knowledge I have about them have allowed me to become more compassionate, more appreciative, and more empathetic.

So I guess I’m on the fence on this one. Ignorance may be bliss and knowledge may be power but I’m not sure I want either all the time. I think I’ll stop debating myself and go back to bed. I know its way too late to be up. I’d rather be ignorant to the fact that my alarm is going to ring in about 2 hours!