Ignorance: An Addiction

Originally I was going to entitle this article Ignorance is bliss, but it seemed a little too cliché. Ignorance: An Addiction, now that’s a title.

Before I begin I’d like to make it known that the views and statements presented in this article are solely that of my personal opinion. The truths (as I believe them to be) that I’m about to reveal may offend and/or shock certain readers. If the “Invisible Government” sounds like something that you don’t want to know about then I suggest you stop reading right now._­

Okay, I assume that if you are reading this particular sentence that you have now committed to reading the entirety of this article. Good on you! It’s not everyday that you get to read about things that you are about to read right now. I’m going to stop my incessant ranting now and get straight to the point.

Before I can begin to explain the Invisible Government, I must first briefly discuss the four things that give a population power: transportation, information, education, and communication. If any one of the four is not present in a society the population becomes too worried about its own problems (or to ignorant) to even be aware, let alone think about usurping the powers that control them. Control is a strong word I know, but it is the reality we are all facing every minute of everyday. We have chosen to live in a world in which the misfortune and suffering of the many is necessary in order to appease the insatiable greed of the few. We have also chosen to live in a world in which we are controlled.

 

“No one controls me! I have free will! I make my own decisions!” Is probably what most of you are thinking right now, but does free will really exist?  What if your beliefs, ideas, music preference, taste in movies, and political agendas are simply the results of careful and coordinated mass manipulation? The reality is that our modern society cannot function without the constant and invisible manipulation of the masses. Both the information we receive and the way we are educated contribute to the formation of opinions that are intrinsically not our own. Why does the word “terrorist” inspire images of a bearded Arab holding an Ak-47? Why do I believe that a democratic republic is the only real way to govern a population? Why is the formula for success so conveniently laid out in front of me? These are the type of questions we should be asking ourselves, and yet all we seem to really care about is who’s going to get eliminated from The Voice, and/or if our crush likes us back or not.

Ignorant, that’s what we all are. You, me, him, her, no one is no better than anyone else because we are all guilty of being selfish. What is the real price of our comfort? We all seem to be ok with the death of millions as long as we don’t see, know, or hear about it. Have you ever thought that the world’s rampant poverty could actually be the fallout of the cushy lives those of us fortunate enough are able to live? Sure we all know about the millions of preventable deaths, and yet we seem to waive such trivial matters aside to focus on more “important” things, like playing videogames and shopping.

The crazy thing is that none of us are really to blame for our selfish, ignorant behavior. We were manipulated into thinking the way we do, and understanding why, how, and by who is the first step towards any real change.

First off we need to ask ourselves “why?”  It all comes down to one thing really, one thing that we cant imagine a world without. It drives people insane, its power over us knows no bounds, and no matter where you are its presence is like a looming shadow. Its money my friends, money is the real opium of the masses, the most addictive and most dangerous substance on planet Earth. Who ever thought that giving colored paper imaginary value could be used to justify so much evil? Think about it, what better way to control the population than imprinting upon them a constant and insatiable thirst for wealth? We are consumed by a thirst for money so powerful that it makes us ignore the suffering of other human beings. We presently cannot fathom a world without money, why? Because it has been imprinted on us, by the forces that control us, as to make us conform to their idea of a perfect society.

The real controllers are not the people we vote into office, there is in fact an Invisible Government that works behind the scenes. They are the ones making the real decisions; the truth is that the destinies of billions are systematically planned out by a small contingent of powerful people who think they have right to control the world. The power of the Invisible Government comes from their ability to manipulate the masses. They are at the mercy of the population in the sense that they can only function if they are publicly accepted, or if the public is too ignorant to be aware of their presence. Why are we controlled? Why are we ignorant? Here’s where it gets crazy, because we asked to be. 

In a “free” market society, order can only be achieved though intensive social organization i.e. the focusing/narrowing of choice. How is this done? Well, people who share the same ideas and interests are bound for common action, aren’t they? You may think your choices are your own, but they are in fact the result of a mixture of impressions that have been consciously and subconsciously imprinted on your mind by outside influences. We have asked to be treated this way. We asked for it when we allied ourselves with political parties. We asked for it when we were given a “sure” path to “success” (Elementary + High school + College = Job = Happiness). And we asked for it when we were given different religions to believe in. We were asked to vote for either personal satisfaction or communal happiness, and our selfishness won in a narrow landslide.

We are all addicted to ignorance because it makes us happy. Sure we are all aware of the tragedies that happen to our fellow man on a daily basis, but we are so obsessed with our own personal problems that we simply place that knowledge in the back of our minds. We have become so addicted to the invisible needs and wants that have been imprinted on us that we have lost site of our ability to uplift the sufferings of the impoverished. There is more than enough for everyone, but when the lucky ones who do have the power to change society are busy receiving their daily dose of addiction, the greedy hands that feed them free to hold the bread of the earth for themselves.

Main Reference: Propaganda (1928), by Edward Bernays.