# Fighting Ignorance: Are We Winning? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [December 2, 2002, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-ignorance-are-we-winning/140052 "2002-12-02T22:30:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Guy\_Montag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9d8465/32.png) [@Guy\_Montag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guy_Montag)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2002, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-ignorance-are-we-winning/140052/21 "2002-12-03T15:08:54Z")
no. ---
**Author:** ![kingpengvin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9dc877/32.png) [@kingpengvin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kingpengvin)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2002, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-ignorance-are-we-winning/140052/22 "2002-12-03T15:22:56Z")
In a society where people are proud to be ignorent, who look down on critical thinking as being negative thinking, where the absurd ideas of crackpots and charlatens are far more entertaining and easier to digest then the scholars, where education is seen as important but as long as it teaches things based on political agendas rather than on truth and knowledge alone, when you are taught to only look at things from your insular viewpoint and winning an argument is more important that learning from a debate… Then the battle is far from over. However if you can win a convert one at a time there is always hope for the future. Especially if those converts are your children and grand children. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2002, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-ignorance-are-we-winning/140052/23 "2002-12-03T15:30:07Z")
It is, as they say, taking longer than we thought… ---
**Author:** ![The\_Green\_Feather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8e7dd6/32.png) [@The\_Green\_Feather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Green_Feather)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2002, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-ignorance-are-we-winning/140052/24 "2002-12-03T22:32:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Diogenes the Cynic \* > \*\*I’m reminded of the parable of the seeds in the gospels. We toss the seeds of knowledge, and most of it falls on rocky ground, but occassionally some of it falls on fertile ground and becomes a mighty tree…well maybe not a tree, maybe a shrub. \*\* Unfortunately, some become mighty weeds… I’m curious to know why some people find it so easy to believe The National Enquirer and so easy to discard common sense. Personally, I only read the headlines. I **never** touch the tabloids! ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2002, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-ignorance-are-we-winning/140052/25 "2002-12-03T22:35:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by partly\_warmer \* > \*\*\ > Add to that the public’s fascination with the National Enquirer, and let’s be honest, National Geographic and Scientific American, it doesn’t seem we’re changing the balance. People are still believing what’s comfortable. \*\* What’s wrong with National Geographic and Scientific American? ---
**Author:** ![Cadaverous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@Cadaverous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cadaverous)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2002, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-ignorance-are-we-winning/140052/26 "2002-12-03T23:28:43Z")
surely ignorance is different to intelligence? the most academic can be the most ignorant. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fighting-ignorance-are-we-winning/140052.md?page=1)