I have just added a new blog label: Arrogance vs ignorance. There is something peculiar about these two opposites. For several days, I felt writing a blog called “What’s worse: arrogance or ignorance”. I failed finding my words. A recent TED podcast with writer Elizabeth Gilbert changed that when she mentioned the words “our very arrogant culture” at 47m43s.
Arrogance and ignorance are 2 sides of the same coin, being our beliefs. I’m not sure if I already realised that when I wrote my 2017 blogs: Arrogance of Left and Ignorance of Right and The ignorance of Nationalism and arrogance of Globalism. Both positions are extremes and the “truth” is seldom – or ever – at any extreme.
Arrogance and ignorance may well be the reason why societies fail to reach stage 4: an Awakening.
I now realise that I came to a similar conclusion in my 2018 blog: Knowledge = Power and the Great Filter in civilizations (5).
It’s almost as if gravity pulls the triangle Love-Knowledge-Power towards an eternal fight between Knowledge and Power.
Hence, an Awakening is only possible once we start believing in Love. The ancient Greek used at least six words for Love: agápe (divine), éros (romantic), philía (brotherly-sisterly), pragma (long-term companionship), philautia (self-love), and storgē (parental).
Somewhere in human history the triangle Love-Knowledge-Power (eg, Bertrand Russell) became the Knowledge-Power equation of philosophers like Imam Ali (601-661), Francis Bacon (1561-1626), and Michel Foucault (1926-1984). Also see my 2018 blog: The Arrow of Time and the 7 Belief systems.
The philosopher Bertrand Russell (1872-1970) blames the desire for Knowledge and Power for the loss of the Love-Knowledge-Power triangle. I think, feel and believe that desire and/or lust are the dark side of Love (BrainPickings #1).
“The good life is one inspired by love and guided by knowledge. Neither love without knowledge, nor knowledge without love can produce a good life.” A quote from Bertrand Russell‘s 1925 book What I Believe (eg, BrainPickings #2).
Love’s in Need of Love Today (1976) by Stevie Wonder featuring Take 6 (2001)
artist, artists, lyrics, video, Wiki-1, Wiki-2, Wiki-3
Note: all markings (bold, italic, underlining) by LO unless stated otherwise
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