VIRTUOUS IGNORANCE: another way of saying "anti-intellectual"

David Akin, in a recent posting on his On the Hill blog, referred to Jonathan Raban's book review of Sarah Palin's memoir Going Rogue in New York Review of Books. (Isn't that just about the most hyperlinked sentence ever?) In that blog posting he identified the words virtuous ignorance,
a phrase coming to mean the intentional employment of ignorance for a seemingly higher purpose. Sarah Palin is the poster girl of that movement.

Palin's speeches, comments, and writings are laced with untruths and innuendo which skirt the truth to the degree that increasingly it is difficult to separate truth from fiction. In my opinion, that is not unintentional. Her ability to employ a "turn-it-on/turn-it-off" folksy dialect to enhance her populist banter is a tool she uses very effectively in portraying herself as the peoples' guardian of political virtue. Many, many people love it. It feeds a wave of anti-intellectualism which is destructive and frightening.

If this were a peaceful era in which the national debates centered on obscure or insignificant issues, one might be amused by her virtuous ignorance. We could debate creationism and evolution until the cows come home. Such issues lend themselves to her style.

But the issues of war, international relations, the economy, health care and national security do not fare well in an anti-intellectual atmosphere. This is time for careful thought, honest research and intelligence, and review of options which are difficult and require global perspective. Virtuous ignorance as employed by Palin and her colleagues only serves to cloud the issues, mask them with superstition and fear-mongering, and wallow in folksy chit-chat which accomplishes nothing of significance. On another level, however, this enterprise slows down government process, delays effective legislation, and undermines the confidence of the people in their government.

Perhaps the use of terms like intellectual and intelligence create an opportunity for such violations of integrity. They are words which are "off-putting" to many people, reflecting an elitism which separates classes of the population. That is unfortunate, because they are also words which describe vital elements of good government. They are not meant to denigrate anyone, but to assure the voting population that their elected leaders are employing due diligence in the pursuit of peace, economic stability, and social justice.

A great bulk of the American populace is confused, angry and disappointed in the way life is unfolding at this moment in history. Those qualities are not restricted to conservative types or members of the Tea Party community. They cry out for clarity and signs of progress. But simplistic answers are not sufficient in such perilous times. To the contrary, the solutions to today's problems require keen minds, careful diplomacy and difficult choices. Virtuous ignorance is not a welcome attribute.


Photo courtesy of: www.creationism.org"

ONE LEVEL TEASPOON:

I hate to admit it, but I have forgotten the place where I read a note the other day about the issue of using the measurement: one level teaspoon. The article was making the point that teaspoons differ in size, so the assumption is flawed that when cooking one can dip into the silver drawer, pull out a teaspoon, fill it, level it, and drop its contents into the recipe confidently . It might not be a big deal, except that when referring to high-flavor items such as salts, hot pepper, or wasabi it could be a serious game changer. In any case, the writer of the article suggested that to be safe, always use a measuring spoon and leave the silver spoon in the drawer, or in the baby's mouth.

The little article caught my attention as a cook, but also as a metaphor-conscious writer. In a recipe for disaster, for instance, casual decisions about what is included may be a matter of life or death. A level teaspoon of caution in mixing the ingredients of the concrete to be used in the construction of a highly-trafficked bridge could spell the difference between safety and deadly collapse.

Similarly, a cavalier approach to foreign diplomacy may determine whether an international agreement is reached or rejected. A simple flaw, like crossing one's leg in a Middle East meeting may signal offense to a participant and sour the deal. One's presence, good manners and due respect go out the window because the negotiator doesn't know that it is offensive in Middle Eastern culture to show the bottom of one's foot to someone. It is a signal of rejection.

Mis-reading one's personal relationship and crossing the line in intimate conversation can end a budding romance. Flowers, champagne, and tickets to a Broadway show can be wasted money if the inaccurate measurement of one's words leads to personal offense.

Risk-taking in political speeches is showing itself to be poor judgment when commenting on race. A badly-measured level teaspoon of intended humor or caustic commentary including such words as "Negro" can undermine a whole career in the U.S. Senate, despite years of good work on social legislation.

Best to stick to legitimate measuring devices and good editing.



Photo Credit: www.onlinetitanicmuseum.com/teaspoon.html