Blog 8

After reading Cornell and Malcolmson’s article "Is Ignorance Bliss?" where they refer to John Stuart Mill's idea; that humans rather know the truth then to live happily unknowing, without asking any questions.

I disagree with Mill, If you don not know the truth you will continue asking questions and I believe that knowing the truth will kill your dreams and aspirations. Since our time on earth is limited I would rather spend it living happy in my own reality than miserable knowing.

If people knew the absolute truth then there would not be any dreams or aspirations. If you knew that you would never succeed with that goal of becoming the next great singer, you would never try it and you would certainly never dare to dream about it. Aspirations is what keeps us going, and dreams is what keep the spark alive. If we knew everything we would never seek any answers. For example; if you where to wake up right now, in a mental facility strapped with a straitjacket with no ability to get better. Everything you have ever believed to be real turns out to be an illusion. If you had to choose to live in the real reality you just woke up to or go back to your dreamworld, what would you choose? I would with out a question choose to go back.

Not long ago I lost someone close to me to cancer. We found out years ago and his health was pending up and down from day to day. One thing that made him so very special was that even though his illness was slowly killing his young soul, the thought of surviving was always there. He could get the most difficult prognoses but would always keep going with his head held up high. Imagine if we knew the truth, if we would have been given a date. I do feel that Cornell and Malcolmson’s titel of the text is so true, Ignorance is a bliss. Not knowing is a tool made for us to be able to survive trough the most difficult times of our lives. Uncertainty makes us think, hope and dream. Maybe we will never get our questions answered but at least it made us rest a little from the thought of losing him. It made us enjoy our lives to the fullest, I even followed my goal and went here, to the United states still hoping he would get better.

I believe that not knowing the truth is a gift that we should be very grateful for. Maybe it is not easy to understand how helpful it is for you until you have to go trough a challenging time in you life. Perhaps it will at least make you ask questions and if you do not know if your dreams will come trough or not, you will dream forever.