The Human Flaw of Ignorance

The brains of humans are not perfect. One oft-overlooked defect is that we, including Americans, are not as smart and wise as we think we are. This inherent flaw manifests in numerous ways, such as:

Stupid wars Beliefs in blind faith or conspiracy theories Unwise mating choices Flawed decision-making processes Flaws in societal structures Nuclear weapons Racism and sexism Gullibility Unwise voting behavior Lying and law-breaking individuals Electing psychopaths to positions of power

Most people are ignorant and everyone believes they are correct. It's a paradoxical cycle where:

How do you think you are incorrect? Do you, for instance, think you are incorrect about thinking you are incorrect? Or, are you incorrect about thinking you are incorrect about thinking you are incorrect?

This domino effect of cognitive dissonance sounds like a lot of work, but it's precisely the mindset that fuels our misguided beliefs and decisions.

The Cycles of Ignorance

Ignorance, by definition, makes us think we know something when we actually don't. This is why those who are frequently ignorant often feel confident in their thoughts and opinions, only to be proven wrong.

This confidence in our ignorance is further exacerbated by the educational and professional environments where:

Teacher's unions have been dumbed down schoolchildren for decades. Unions pressure school boards to add unnecessary administrative positions, such as "diversity" heads and "compliance officers." These administrative positions have grown at the expense of classroom teachers, leading to a poorly structured pyramid of management that undermines the quality of education. Teachers are often required to cover costs for supplies out of their pockets, which is a issue primarily caused by school boards, not parents or taxpayers.

Moreover, the educational system is designed to benefit unions rather than students or teachers. Unions seek to increase their members' pay, jobs, and benefits rather than improve the quality of education. For instance, the UAW never struck to build better cars. If someone wants to influence policy, they should be elected to the school board instead of relying on extra-legal pressure from the unions.

Addressing the Issue

To combat this issue, the following steps can be taken:

Realign the educational management pyramid to prioritize classroom teachers over administrators. Ensure that educational policies are made by elected officials who are accountable to the community. Eliminate unnecessary administrative positions and focus on improving classroom resources and support for teachers. Hold unions accountable for their actions and ensure they prioritize the education of students over their own interests.

By addressing these issues, we can reduce the cycle of ignorance and improve the decision-making processes and beliefs of individuals, leading to a more informed and smarter society.