# Which is more insulting, being called ignorant or arrogant? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 10, 2004, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-more-insulting-being-called-ignorant-or-arrogant/254471 "2004-07-10T19:48:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mr.Kobayashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Mr.Kobayashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Kobayashi)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2004, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-more-insulting-being-called-ignorant-or-arrogant/254471/1 "2004-07-10T19:48:31Z")
Inspired by [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=265778). šŸ˜ƒ Given the present company (i.e. Dopers), Iā€™d rather be called arrogant. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Kobayashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Mr.Kobayashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Kobayashi)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2004, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-more-insulting-being-called-ignorant-or-arrogant/254471/2 "2004-07-10T19:58:21Z")
\*that isnā€™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. ---
**Author:** ![Hyperelastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Hyperelastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hyperelastic)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2004, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-more-insulting-being-called-ignorant-or-arrogant/254471/3 "2004-07-10T20:03:01Z")
We ought to recognize that weā€™re all ignorant of most things, so being called ignorant shouldnā€™t really be insulting. Arrogance, on the other hand, means ā€œexorbitant claims of rank or estimationā€, which can apply to an ignorant person who persists in his ignorance while believing he is not ignorant. Thatā€™s much worse. ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2004, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-more-insulting-being-called-ignorant-or-arrogant/254471/4 "2004-07-10T20:06:11Z")
Hell, weā€™re all ignorant. Nobody can know everything. But arrogantā€”thatā€™s a bad attitude. Thatā€™s kind of like conceit, or vanity, or condescension, or a fusion of all three. Itā€™s an attitude that can be improved, but itā€™s a bad attitude. Ignorance, by itself, is pretty typical, and not necessarily ā€œbad.ā€ However, if you are ignorant _and_ arrogant about it, or ignorant _and_ deluded and in denial about itā€”thatā€™s a problem. But just ignorant by itself? Iā€™m that already. We all are. ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2004, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-more-insulting-being-called-ignorant-or-arrogant/254471/5 "2004-07-10T20:50:56Z")
Doesnā€™t it really depend upon each of us, upon whether we are more worried about knowing enough versus more worried about being kind people? ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2004, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-more-insulting-being-called-ignorant-or-arrogant/254471/6 "2004-07-11T00:44:06Z")
Ignorance can be educated. Arrogance usually goes all the way to the core; itā€™s a spiritual thing, and the cure can be a very painful process. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2004, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-more-insulting-being-called-ignorant-or-arrogant/254471/7 "2004-07-11T01:13:13Z")
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) ---
**Author:** ![saramamalana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/74df32/32.png) [@saramamalana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saramamalana)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2004, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-more-insulting-being-called-ignorant-or-arrogant/254471/8 "2004-07-11T01:26:38Z")
One of my professors used to jokingly say ā€œIā€™m not arrogant - Iā€™m just better than you.ā€ As far as the OP, I think being called ignorant is more insulting. ---
**Author:** ![ageless6](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de053/32.png) [@ageless6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ageless6)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2004, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-more-insulting-being-called-ignorant-or-arrogant/254471/9 "2004-07-11T01:54:50Z")
Letā€™s see,who would be an example of someone whoā€™s both ignorant and arrogant? Oh,I canā€™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,itā€™ll come to meā€¦ ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2004, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-more-insulting-being-called-ignorant-or-arrogant/254471/10 "2004-07-11T01:57:40Z")
Being arrogant about being ignorant. Which is to say, proud of your ignorance and claiming superiority over others for it. Iā€™ve had the serious misfortune of knowing far too many people like that. And working for one. ---
**Author:** ![Ludicrous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/82dd89/32.png) [@Ludicrous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludicrous)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2004, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-more-insulting-being-called-ignorant-or-arrogant/254471/11 "2004-07-11T03:06:10Z")
Lately, i 've been calling people ignorantly arrogant. Why settle for 1 insult? ---
**Author:** ![Beauty\_Personified](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e480ec/32.png) [@Beauty\_Personified](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beauty_Personified)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2004, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-more-insulting-being-called-ignorant-or-arrogant/254471/12 "2004-07-11T05:41:48Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > 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) 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 theyā€™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. Iā€™m sure that sounds somewhat confusing, but I do agree that you are both ignorant and arrogant, **Lobsang**. šŸ˜‰ Personally, Iā€™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 whoā€™s arrogant is likely not to feel that they need one. (For me, politics would be on the list of things Iā€™m pretty ignorant about. That said, from what I do know, Iā€™m not sure Iā€™d want to know more about todayā€™s politics. šŸ˜‰ ) Anyhooā€¦ ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2004, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-more-insulting-being-called-ignorant-or-arrogant/254471/13 "2004-07-11T06:12:28Z")
Yeah, look at my sig line, itā€™s petty obvious I am both. Whatā€™s even more problematic (some would say) is that I really donā€™t give a damn. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2004, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-more-insulting-being-called-ignorant-or-arrogant/254471/14 "2004-07-11T06:20:03Z")
Nevermind, for some reason my sig line isnā€™t showing anymore. Canā€™t figur out how to turn it back onā€¦ Howā€™s THAT for irony? ---
**Author:** ![ioioio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ioioio/32/316_2.png) [@ioioio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ioioio)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2004, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-more-insulting-being-called-ignorant-or-arrogant/254471/15 "2004-07-11T17:26:15Z")
I donā€™t know, and I wouldnā€™t tell you if I did, Question Boy. ---
**Author:** ![Jodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7feea3/32.png) [@Jodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jodi)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2004, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-more-insulting-being-called-ignorant-or-arrogant/254471/16 "2004-07-11T18:12:20Z")
I think thereā€™s a difference between asking which is more insulting and which is worse to be. I think itā€™s worse to be arrogant, but I think most people find it more insulting to be called ignorant (myself included). So now Iā€™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. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2004, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-more-insulting-being-called-ignorant-or-arrogant/254471/17 "2004-07-11T18:18:27Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2004, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-more-insulting-being-called-ignorant-or-arrogant/254471/18 "2004-07-11T18:19:28Z")
Ignorant is just stupid. Arrogance is a character flaw. Of course, if youā€™re willfully ignorant when you should know better, thatā€™s also a character flaw. So in a way itā€™s a tossup. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2004, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-more-insulting-being-called-ignorant-or-arrogant/254471/19 "2004-07-11T18:27:09Z")
It wouldnā€™t bother me at all to be called ignorant. If Iā€™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 isnā€™t true, so Iā€™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. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2004, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-more-insulting-being-called-ignorant-or-arrogant/254471/20 "2004-07-11T23:02:21Z")
> [@Lamar Mundane](#): > > It wouldnā€™t bother me at all to be called ignorant. If Iā€™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 isnā€™t true, so Iā€™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. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-is-more-insulting-being-called-ignorant-or-arrogant/254471.md?page=2)