Alley Livingston

Block 1

As a student I’ve been told my whole life that the pursuit of knowledge is a worthwhile

and noble endeavor. Knowledge is both good and bad for the human existence. On one hand,

knowledge is power and helps man flourish, giving him the necessary information to come up

with accurate plans of action. On the other hand, ignorance is bliss and saves man from over

thinking and seeing the true evils of the world. Knowledge is good and evil: a double-edged

sword depending on both the situation and one’s vantage point.

Knowledge to some is truly the definition of power. By gaining knowledge one learns the

truths of the world and can therefore change beliefs and ruminate longer on decisions that need

to be made based off of said knowledge. Logic finds its roots in knowledge, the pursuit of which

gives one the ability to further make logical, rational decisions that help one survive and come to

better conclusions. Knowledge can feed the curiosity that drives humans in life, eventually

giving them answers and curbing that hunger. Knowledge is the power to find answers to larger

questions of the world and make sense of it all.

Ignorance to some is truly bliss. The ability to not know, to not see the harsh truths of the

world, and to not face the overwhelming pressure of the goings on in society are gifts that

ignorance provides. War, hate, death, sin, all of this knowledge leads to corruption and sorrow,

but when ignorance is present it relieves these tragedies and bestows a sense of peace over the

ignorant being. In the novel The Scarlet Letter Hester Prynne’s daughter is described as being

ignorant of the problems facing her mother, and she is therefore happy and full of joy, something

Hester hopes to prolong by keeping her ignorant. Knowledge is riddled with evils, so gives basis

to the argument that ignorance is bliss.