“Ignorance is the night of the mind, a night without moon and without stars…” (Confucius)
We live in an era where ignorance, far from being a demerit, is transformed into a powerful instrument of social, political, economic influence...
This dignification of ignorance is manifested in the choleric rejection of rigorous argumentation, presenting it as a democratic virtue, as a form of invulnerable "truth."
It acquires a power that springs from resonance, from its capacity to exacerbate primary feelings, to activate visceral adhesions. In this sense, it is a calculated resource that neutralizes uncomfortable questionsThe saturation of irrelevant data, deliberate disinformation, and the oversimplification of complex debates produce a subtle effect: they numb civil critical thinking and generate conformity. The citizen, exposed to fragmented or biased information, ends up accepting apparent truths without questioning their origin or validity
Ignorance does not prevent conflicts: it postpones them. It does not foster tolerance: it proclaims indifference. It does not build community: it empties it of content. It does not soften social life: it polarizes it. It is fuel for prejudice. Where information is lacking, stereotypes and comfortable lies proliferate.
Ignorance may be inevitable, yes. But turning it into a virtue is a profoundly reactionary act. It is betting on a society that is easier to control, but harder to dignify
Whoever defends ignorance as a social value defends a smaller world. One that is reduced, infantilized, manageable, … It is choosing blindness over lucidity, stagnation over transformation, comfort over freedom.
Jacques Ellul, in his studies on propaganda, pointed out "that not all manipulation generates conflict. Some forms of propaganda pacify, integrating individuals into a narrative that reassures them and keeps them docile".
Thus, induced ignorance has a value that transcends the individual: it is an instrument of manipulation and falsification of reality
Fostering critical thinking is not just an educational goal, it is a social imperative. As John Dewey said, it involves an "active, persistent and careful consideration of any belief or supposed form of knowledge in light of the grounds that support it". It is time to adopt that attitude broadly.
