The Audacity of Ignorance

     Ignorance causes a lot of distress in life. By no means do I mean to target those who are simply unaware or uneducated. Those folks are simply unable to follow the rules and norms due to lack of knowledge. I am speaking of those that are educated and aware of life's peculiarities. These are the people that can cause undue stress and pain to the others who must deal with them on a daily basis. From my experiences, ignorance not only leads to unacceptable behaviors, but can destroy friendships, careers and marriages. Ignorance breeds jealousy, hatred, narcissism, racism, greed and fear to name a few. When a person embraces their ignorance instead of striving to be rid of it, true monsters are born. This is where you find the truly scary people. These are the people who can admit no wrong, the perfect individuals who cannot accept responsibility for the harm their actions and thoughts cause to others. Also in this group of ignorant individuals you will find the know-it-alls, the perfectionists and the ones who embrace childishness and pettyness. I have recently had the displeasure to have to deal with an individual that qualifies in several of these categories. Not only has this caused me untold stress and angst, but it has affected those around me in a negative manner. While unable to avoid exposure to these situations at this time, I have made an effort to limit contact as much as possible. In this way, I am trying to control the situation in order to achieve a moderately happy outcome. When dealing with a person beset by ignorance, it is important to remember that no matter how logical you approach any issues, your approach will be perceived as an attack. All constructive criticism will be considered as a personal attack even when it doesn't have anything to do with personal business. I have recently learned that there are some people who are worth the effort it takes to rid them of their ignorance and then there are those who are not. I now realize that those that are not worth the effort are simply best left to their own devices. By allowing these people to influence your thoughts, behaviors and emotions, you are giving them power over you. A friend once told me that there is no one on Earth who has the power to hurt you, unless you allow them to. Fortunately, this friend is one of the wisest people I know and I appreciate her more than I will ever be able to express. I have learned some hard lessons in the past months and I am sure there are more to come. While understanding that avoidance of the ignorant in life, limiting contact and educating those afflicted with this debilitating and contagious problem can help to deal with the problems they cause.