Paranoid

There are few things I find more infuriating than wilful ignorance, particularly when accompanied by an extraordinary sense of moral superiority. Ignorance is simply not knowing something. We are all ignorant about countless subjects, and there is no shame in acknowledging it. Wilful ignorance, however, is a choice, particularly when someone has been presented with an explanation of an opposing viewpoint and consciously refuses even to examine it, let alone consider whether it might have any merit. Nobody is obliged to read an essay or engage in a debate. That is entirely their prerogative. But if you publicly espouse a position, how can you reasonably dismiss arguments you have consciously refused to examine? On what basis do you proclaim moral superiority over a position you haven’t even attempted to understand? To me, this reflects a fundamental failure in critical thinking, and increasingly, a failure of our educational establishments. We appear to have cultivated a culture in which some individuals are more interested in pinning their colours to the banner of the latest progressive cause than in understanding the arguments surrounding it. Moral righteousness appears to have become a substitute for reasoned debate. Education should equip us to scrutinise evidence, engage honestly with opposing views and occasionally have the humility to acknowledge the possibility that we might be mistaken. You should be capable of explaining an opposing argument accurately, even when you fundamentally disagree with it. I have considerably more respect for someone who disagrees with me after examining the reasoning behind my views than someone who agrees simply because they’ve been told which opinion is morally acceptable. Declaring yourself on the right side of history does not automatically put you on the right side of history, or the argument at hand. If your convictions cannot withstand scrutiny, perhaps you ought to question how firmly they’re grounded in reason. Also, I will be in London at some point when the Christmas lights are on display, and I’m looking forward to seeing the Potter lights on Oxford Street.