Ignorance in the Information Age

We are living in an age of an informational paradigm shift that has not occurred since the advent of public libraries.  Not only is information free, but depending on phone reception and the capabilities of your phone, it can be literally at your fingertips.  Why, then, are people still so stupid?

Of course, not everybody is stupid.  That's a given.  There are lots of smart people out there in the world.  They have high IQ's, or they are very capable, or they learn quickly.  I'm not addressing learning capabilities or information retention.  I'm talking about the lamentable lack of critical thinking, coupled with a need for people to blurt out their opinions without stopping to consider that they might not know everything.

Case in point:  I work at an agency that deals with wildlife, and I often answer phone calls from the public regarding a variety of questions, concerns, and so forth.  On one occasion, I answered the phone and was immediately blasted by the caller's withering scorn.  "That mother bear was just trying to feed her family, to get food for her cubs," snapped the Angry Old Grandma.  "They shouldn't have killed her!  They should just move her back to where she came from, in the forest."  This went on and on, while I wondered why we should move a bear back to the forest when it left there in search of food in the first place.  Transplanting an animal that is habituated to human food won't solve any problems.

At length, the angry woman informed me that she loved animals, and that she watches Animal Planet and the Discovery Channel.  From what I can glean from the conversation, she believes that she is well-informed about wildlife management, and that entitles her to call a hapless peon and them them have it with both barrels. Her love of the animals is paramount, and will not be denied.


Perhaps that's the key to the stupidity problem.  Such people believe that their feelings, opinions, or desires are paramount, and they must impose them on everyone.  Armed with information that is often incomplete or inaccurate, they work up a volcanic temper and verbally assault anyone who can't escape their wrath.  It never occurs them to research the matter, or even to question it.

People, the information is out there.  Please cultivate a little critical thinking and weigh the issue instead of haranguing anyone who has no choice but to endure your tantrums.  Research, debate, and consider, but beating people over the head with our opinion does not solve problems.