Ignorance, or lack of knowledge, is usually not viewed as a good thing. However, there may be certain situations where you are happier not knowing the truth. There is an expression to describe these situations: Ignorance is bliss.
Times When Ignorance Can Be Bliss
Here are some examples:
- A person who usually watches what she eats but who really loves a chocolate cake may not want to know that there are 800 calories in the cake she loves. Her lack of knowledge about the calories in the cake is an example of a time when ignorance is bliss.
- An example of ignorance is bliss is when a strict parent is unaware that his daughter is sneaking out after he goes to bed in order to date a boy that she isn’t allowed to see.
- When a person is very happy in his relationship because he doesn’t know that his girlfriend is cheating but is then devastated when he finds out the truth, this is an example of a time when ignorance was bliss.
- A child who believes in Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy and who would be very upset to find out that neither was real is an example of a child who would think that ignorance was bliss.
- When a financially responsible spouse is not aware of how much his wife is spending on shoes and purses, this is an example of ignorance is bliss.
- A parent who is very anti-alcohol who doesn’t know that his or her child goes out and has a few drinks with friends is an example of a parent who might be happier not knowing the truth.
- A person who is not very smart or capable who doesn’t realize his limitations might feel better about himself than if he knew that he was falling short of his peers.
- An actor or an author who decides to steer clear of all reviews in order to avoid potentially seeing bad ones is an example of someone who believes that ignorance is bliss.
- A person who doesn’t watch the news and is not aware of a dangerous robbery that went on right next door to his house might feel happier not knowing that he was so close to becoming a crime victim.
- A mother who has cooked a special birthday dinner might be much happier not being aware that her son hates her cooking and ate two McDonald’s cheeseburgers before coming over for dinner.
- A woman who is very afraid of bugs might prefer to be ignorant about the fact that there is a spider living deep underneath her bed.
- A child who hates cream cheese might prefer not knowing that there is cream cheese in his favorite cookies.
- A person who is obsessed with cleanliness and who is terrified of germs might prefer to be unaware that his friend’s child vomited in his car after his friend had borrowed the vehicle.
- A person who is afraid of ghosts might prefer not to know that someone died in the house in which he is currently living.
These are all examples of situations where someone may be happier and better off not knowing something that would only cause upset. They are all examples of situations where ignorance is bliss.
