Ignorance is a lack of
knowledge. Ignorance is sometimes misinterpreted as a
synonym of
stupidity, and is as thus often taken as an insult.
In many cases ignorance is seen as a pleasant alternative to harsh reality.
[ul][*]
Willful ignorance (or
vincible ignorance) is a
bad faith decision to avoid becoming informed about something so as to avoid having to make undesirable decisions that such information might prompt.[*]
Ignorance is bliss is a phrase that comes from
Thomas Gray's
poem, "Ode on a Distant Prospect of Eton College" (
1742): "Where ignorance is
bliss, 'tis folly to be
wise."[/ul]