Tuesday, March 14, 2017

The problem of condescension

I get frustrated sometimes... at how often we get angry at, or how often we ridicule ignorance. I'm sure, there are people out there that are comfortable in an ignorant state. But I truly believe that the majority, just... don't.. know.. And would be happy to change their understanding...

If someone said.. "Hey, you don't know this? Let me tell you about it."

It's instinct, in a way, to get defensive when someone acts condescending towards you. I'm frustrated by the videos we laugh at when people make fun of someone who doesn't understand a concept.

There IS NO MAGICAL AGE where we suddenly know everything. We don't turn 19, or whatever the age of majority is, and suddenly "know it all."

We'd like to, sure. But we simply fucking don't. We're all.. learning.. We are all still children to some bit of information, to some concept we haven't heard of yet. We should NEVER stop learning. And we should NEVER ridicule someone who hasn't learned something yet.

Condescension is the worst promoter of ignorance.

The dialogue:

"I don't know this.."

"Oh, I know something. Let me tell you what I know."

Can you imagine how different the world would be?