Ignorance Is Not Bliss
Thomas Gray introduced the notion in his poem “Ode to a Distant Prospect of Etonian College”(1742) by writing ‘Where ignorance is bliss, ‘tis folly to be wise.’ Ignorance is not necessarily a desired or admired mental capacity but, be sure, ignorance cannot and should not be equated to stupidity!
‘Trumpism’ and the rise of populism in the USA is not limited to North America alone nor this moment in history. Populism has historical roots in Hitler’s Germany and Mussolini’s Italy as well as emerging in Latin America in the 1930s. Latin America has danced with the various types of populism since then. Most recently it’s seen in the Duterte’s Philippines, Hungary, Poland and Bulgaria among a few. So populism is not a new political ideology nor has it been a fragile one.
So what does this have to do with media literacy?
Everything!
Let’s examine this in more detail.
In the case of Trump, it was the voting public that accorded him the power to exercise his agenda. That voting public was not stupid as has been the widespread sentiment bandied about during everyday conversations about his supporters. Perhaps this is the place to acknowledge that it was the presence of ‘ignorance’ that was the substantial contributor to his rise to power. But this was not an ‘ignorance’ that emanated out of the lack of education but out of a devious and unprecedented war on commonly held facts and the installation of an alternate set of naked truths. Trump is gone from his exalted pulpit but the social media platforms still exist that can and will be utilized by his cult of followers to continue metastasizing the message and the most recently implemented restrictions by certain social media platforms will not provide the protection we so desperately need. Martin Regg Cohn is his opinion article in the Toronto Star posits “…it is not enough to demand better of our leaders, or their enablers, if we do not first remake ourselves into better electors – meaning better informed.” In some ways we have lost a whole generation of voters because they have exited the educational structures of our society and as a result alternative interventions will need to be devised. But our future generations can be given the tools to insulate and protect themselves from the attack of misinformation. A redefined and intensified Media Literacy curriculum in our schools, elementary, secondary and post secondary, is essential to developing a informed voting public.
For all institutions and governing bodies - the time to act is now!
In upcoming blogs I’ll explore how this should be designed.
About Kemp Rickett Consulting: My business is founded on enabling clients to ignite the passion for learning in individuals and groups. I provide strategic planning services, curriculum development and professional development and training for school administrators and program co-ordinators.