An Epidemic of Ignorance Is Sweeping The Globe
"There is a cult of ignorance in the United States. It is nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge." - Isaac Asimov
This quote might be directed at the United States but today, the cult of ignorance is widespread.
Reading a Twitter thread today highlighted how prevalent it is. The thread in question was an Irish woman asking random English people about Northern Ireland on Tinder.
For those of you who don't know, England and Northern Ireland are part of the United Kingdom along with Scotland and Wales. We have a shared history, but it mostly emphasises the good rather than the bad.
The thread is a rollercoaster. One by one, she asks people to explain what they know about Northern Ireland and what the situation is on the ground today.
Long story short, the majority of people had little idea about the history of Northern Ireland.
Very few of the people questioned understood why Northern Ireland was part of the UK and why it was partitioned from the rest of Ireland. Even fewer knew about any of the subsequent troubles which followed.
The main reason for this is the education system in England. I studied history at university. Not once did I, or had the opportunity to, study any course on Irish history.
Considering the role England has played in the history of Ireland, this is incredible. The education system in England is creating citizens who are ignorant of large swathes of relevant history. History which remains relevant today.
This is worrying.
If allowed to fester, ignorance is a breeding ground for injustice. It's imperative we educate ourselves on the world around us and the past. Otherwise, we're doomed to repeat the same mistakes as those who came before us.
Ignorance isn't bliss, it's dangerous.