Ignorance Is Not an Excuse

Ignorance Is Not an Excuse

I was, at first, skeptical with my word choice, considering I only chose it because of my extreme inability to tolerate it. I thought it would be a fun way to vent my frustration; however, that itself was actually quite ignorant for ignorance is, essentially—everywhere. I was surprised to find out that in many stories, from Shakespeare to modern day works, that there is a motif of ignorance, or vacuity. This does not, however, apply to the world of stories alone; it goes for the real world too. Things just have a tendency to go wrong when there is ignorance involved.

One great example of this is Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. As I read the play for the first time my stupid-o-meter spiked in scene V in which Romeo commits suicide. Romeo says:

Oh my love, my wife, Death, that hath sucked the honey of thy breath, Hath had no power yet upon thy beauty: Thou are not yet conquered, beauty’s ensign yet Is crimson in they lips and in thy cheeks, And Death’s pale flag is not advanced there. Ah, dear Juliet, Why art thou yet so fair? Shall I believe That unsubstantial Death is amorous, And that the lean abhorred monster keeps Thee here in dark to be his paramour? For fear of that, I still will stay with thee, And never from this palace of dim night Depart again. Eyes, look your last! Arms, take your last embrace! And, lips, Seal with a righteous kiss! Here’s to my love! [Romeo drinks the poison] O true apothecary! Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die. [Romeo dies]

In this excerpt, Romeo exercises his youthful inanity by taking his own life at the sight of his lover whom appears to be dead. However, just before his suicide, Romeo points out the fact that Juliet looks as though she is still alive! You would think he would at least check for a pulse first.

I am sure that everyone has heard of the saying “Ignorance is bliss”; however, I believe it is safe to say that of the people that have heard the saying, they did not know that it was actually an abbreviation of the original “Where ignorance is bliss, �tis folly to be wise”. Though only a slight change, the unabridged version just seems to have more meaning. The first simply says, stupidity is perfect happiness (which really doesn’t make that much sense when you think about it), where as the latter says, when stupidity is perfect happiness, it is foolish to be wise. I find this to be slightly humorous because it so closely resembles the old southern saying, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

One thing that I never would have thought to use as a source of ignorance is the Bible. There are, in fact, many verses pertaining to ignorance or ignorant people. One of which is:

Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ