How The Fog of Ignorance Shapes Our Perception Of Truth

It’s hard to see where you’re heading in thick, heavy fog. You have to slow down, focus, and pay close attention to your surroundings. You can’t see too far into the distance, and you’ll never know what might be around the corner.

Consciousness is like that

The only issue is that some are not aware that they are under a veil of fog. Some believe everything is clear. To them, they can see for miles. If someone points out that their vision is limited, they will defend what they perceive as if their life depended upon it.

The fog, which is not natural, has been around for a long time. The fog is the conditioning we receive at the hands of other people. Our parents, extended family, teachers, priests, colleagues at work, and the clubs we join all have an impact of our fog.

The fog grows layer by layer, belief by belief, opinion by opinion, until what we believe as true, is not necessarily our own original thought. It was given to us, by someone else.

We end up defending this “truth,” because we have come to “know” it and then “own,” and in many cases forgotton who gave it to us. We believe it to be true because we hold the “teller” in high esteem, and believe they would never dare unknowingly mislead us. It would be considered a challenge to their authority if we were to question their truth.

This fog is ignorance.

Regardless of you religious views, think back to the famous Garden of Eden story. Adam and Eve were expelled because they sought knowledge. In Genesis, the serpent gave Eve an apple, and she convinced Adam to eat it. In other words, someone (in this instance the serpent ) passed on an idea as truth, and it was acted upon.

The serpent, speaking metaphorically, told Eve that eating the apple would not lead to death. Everyone knows that “an apple a day keeps the doctor away”, but Eve, in her trusting way, believed the serpent. Eating the apple enabled Adam and Eve to know “Good and Evil ” and the punishment was expulsion.

Without getting into a theological debate, the point is, when someone else passes on their belief as true, it can have a dramatic effect on us and those that we meet. Of course, we hope that the people we love and respect pass on their beliefs with good intentions. But, what of those who have ulterior motives?

There is an idea that has persisted throughout history ever since the times of ancient civilisations that ignorance is bliss, because the “masses ” are not able to think for themselves and have to be managed. The perception is that the masses are not able to accurately think and reason for themselves and have to be told what to think. If what is told is not the whole truth, then this is the Fog.

You may not like it. You may even disagree. Ask yourself: whenever someone is telling you something as true, what is in it for them? What is their motive?

The motive behind any statement or action is fundementally the most important aspect. People can be led on a course of action because of their trusting nature. It is this trusting nature that is used to the benefit of others.

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