Are you ignorant?
By 3cardmonte
@3cardmonte (5098)
June 5, 2009 2:35pm CST
Racist? sexist? homophobic?
No,of course you're not, no one in their right mind would admit it. But so many people think they aren't when they so clearly are.
The bottom line is if you think one race is superior or inferior to another, you are a racist.
if you think women are better than men or men are better than women then you are a sexist.
If you think straight people are better than gay people then you are an ignorant homophobe.
If you think gay people are better than straight people, well i don't know what the word for that is but if you think it then you're ignorant.
Now I'll ask you again, are you ignorant?
1 person likes this
3 responses
@owlwings (43910)
• Cambridge, England
5 Jun 09
Yes, I am probably ignorant (by your definition). I feel uncomfortable with people of a different skin colour than myself. It isn't hate or disgust or a feeling that they are inferior to me (usually, they are most certainly not!) It's a deep-seated feeling of, perhaps, curiosity (that's the nearest I can get to what is a very complicated and subconscious reaction). I forget how old I was when I first met a black person. People of African origin weren't common in Britain until the 50's or 60's, so I may have been as old as 15 or 20. I don't know that that has any particular bearing on the matter, though. Part of the feeling has to do with not knowing or understanding the gestures and body language of a different culture but I do not have the same reserve with Europeans or White Americans (whose culture often differs from mine as much as that of Africans or Asians), so I do take notice of skin colour.
Having admitted that secret, I ought to say that I hope that it would never affect a friendship. Intellectually, I know that all people are potentially equal in the eyes of other men and certainly equal in the eyes of God. Nevertheless, I do have this complicated and deep-seated feeling which intelligence and knowledge tells me is wrong and even 'racist'. I have never heard others admit to it, so I wonder if I am alone.
Well, what do you think? Am I ignorant or am I just human?
@3cardmonte (5098)
•
5 Jun 09
Honestly? Yes, it does sound a little ignorant, but at least you realise that they are not inferior. There are a lot of cultural differences and a deep pressure not to offend, maybe you're nervous of that?
@owlwings (43910)
• Cambridge, England
5 Jun 09
The dictionary definition of ignorant is:
1.lacking in knowledge or training; unlearned.
2.lacking knowledge or information as to a particular subject or fact.
3.uninformed; unaware.
4.due to or showing lack of knowledge or training.
Etymologically, it comes from the present participle of the Latin verb ignorare, meaning 'to be unaware of' or 'to disregard'.
I may be exhibiting a lack of appropriate training (though I have tried and failed to find any evidence of anti-racial attitudes in my childhood upbringing) but, since I am, at least, conscious of my failings (and make every attempt to counteract them), I would dispute the appropriateness of the word 'ignorant' in this particular context.
@3cardmonte (5098)
•
6 Jun 09
I hate that too! My sisters and my mother are like that, they will never admit if they don't know something.
@mysdianait (66009)
• Italy
5 Jun 09
I am ignorant in everything that I have no knowledge of. I often say this (and get told off too) because I feel that's how the word itself should be used.
I know nothing about fixing a computer therefore I ignore how it should be done so that means I'm ignorant in the matter. I'm ignorant as far as Latin and many of the sciences are concerned. I'm ignorant about lots of things and have no bother saying it because that's it - I am period!
@3cardmonte (5098)
•
5 Jun 09
fair enough, it's still a valid use of the word though.
1 person likes this
