Inspired by this thread.
Given the present company (i.e. Dopers), I’d rather be called arrogant.
*that isn’t to say that Dopers are arrogant - but being called ignorant by, or when you are a Doper is a particularly bad thing.
Phew, I think I covered that pretty well.
We ought to recognize that we’re all ignorant of most things, so being called ignorant shouldn’t really be insulting.
Arrogance, on the other hand, means “exorbitant claims of rank or estimation”, which can apply to an ignorant person who persists in his ignorance while believing he is not ignorant. That’s much worse.
Hell, we’re all ignorant. Nobody can know everything.
But arrogant—that’s a bad attitude. That’s kind of like conceit, or vanity, or condescension, or a fusion of all three. It’s an attitude that can be improved, but it’s a bad attitude. Ignorance, by itself, is pretty typical, and not necessarily “bad.”
However, if you are ignorant and arrogant about it, or ignorant and deluded and in denial about it—that’s a problem. But just ignorant by itself? I’m that already. We all are.
Doesn’t it really depend upon each of us, upon whether we are more worried about knowing enough versus more worried about being kind people?
Ignorance can be educated. Arrogance usually goes all the way to the core; it’s a spiritual thing, and the cure can be a very painful process.
I am both. but I am probably more ignorant than arrogant so it would hit home more if I was called ignorant.
(and it does)
One of my professors used to jokingly say “I’m not arrogant - I’m just better than you.”
As far as the OP, I think being called ignorant is more insulting.
Let’s see,who would be an example of someone who’s both ignorant and arrogant?
Oh,I can’t remember his name,but he lives back East somewhere in a great big white house. Works in some capacity for big business,as I recall.
Well,it’ll come to me…
Being arrogant about being ignorant. Which is to say, proud of your ignorance and claiming superiority over others for it.
I’ve had the serious misfortune of knowing far too many people like that. And working for one.
Lately, i 've been calling people ignorantly arrogant. Why settle for 1 insult?
I would think it would be the other way around. If someone is more ignorant than arrogant, and they know it, I would think that they’d expect people to recognize their ignorance more than their arrogance. And knowing this, would be more taken aback by someone calling them arrogant, rather than ignorant.
I’m sure that sounds somewhat confusing, but I do agree that you are both ignorant and arrogant, Lobsang. 
Personally, I’d be more insulted about being called arrogant, since - as others have mentioned - people are naturally ignorant of many things. And ignorance is something that can be relatively easily and comfortably fixed, whereas being arrogant calls for an attitude adjustment. And someone who’s arrogant is likely not to feel that they need one.
(For me, politics would be on the list of things I’m pretty ignorant about. That said, from what I do know, I’m not sure I’d want to know more about today’s politics. )
Anyhoo…
Yeah, look at my sig line, it’s petty obvious I am both.
What’s even more problematic (some would say) is that I really don’t give a damn.
Nevermind, for some reason my sig line isn’t showing anymore. Can’t figur out how to turn it back on… How’s THAT for irony?
I don’t know, and I wouldn’t tell you if I did, Question Boy.
I think there’s a difference between asking which is more insulting and which is worse to be. I think it’s worse to be arrogant, but I think most people find it more insulting to be called ignorant (myself included). So now I’m wondering why that is. It seems odd to think one trait is intrinsically worse, but be more insulted to be called the other. Hmmm.
If someone calls you arrogant they are implying you have too much outward confidence in your opinions. If they call you ignorant they are implying you know very litte about a subject about which you are debating, which I think feels slightly worse.
Ignorant is just stupid. Arrogance is a character flaw. Of course, if you’re willfully ignorant when you should know better, that’s also a character flaw. So in a way it’s a tossup.
It wouldn’t bother me at all to be called ignorant. If I’m ignorant about a subject, then I am. No big deal. If somebody uses the term as a general slur towards me, I know it isn’t true, so I’d shrug it off.
Arrogance on the other hand is a horrible quality to have. Nobody likes arrogant people. The most reviled people on this board are also the most arrogant. I hate arrogance. Being called it would make me really take a hard look at myself.
My sentiments exactly.