How our knowledge and beliefs affect our socioecological predicament.
I assume readers agree that our world is embroiled in a growing socioecological metacrisis, a theme I continue reiterating. Since climate change negatively affects all social and ecological systems, it may be considered the most comprehensively influential component. The familiar domino effect illustrates the interconnecting links of social and ecological systems in contributing to all crises, including the fact that seven crucial planetary boundaries are either endangered or breached. So, what’s the fundamental driver behind this accumulating socioecological predicament?
My vote goes to the apparent human state of ignorance (cognitive dissonance) that’s all too evident within modern society. The increasing signs of anthropocentric-hubris have grown so large—in size, scope, and scale—that more scientists believe humanity may likely be unable to reverse our current unsustainable trajectory. Too many humans either deny or ignore the realities represented by the devastating effects of climate change, including more frequent and intense whiplashing weather events.
All social and ecological systems are experiencing record-breaking events. Crises affecting human society include increasing evidence of food shortages, geopolitical conflicts and wars, migrating climate refugees, sociopolitical polarization, growing inequity-inequality, and more. Meanwhile, our swelling human superorganism continues overwhelming all ecosystems, largely by extracting and processing finite raw materials to provide the goods and services for a growing human population. Hence, the environment continues experiencing the brunt of all crises, with record-breaking catastrophic events and results, including extreme wildfires, heat levels, droughts, floods, hurricanes, tornados, rising sea levels, acidic oceans, soil pollution, depleting aquifers, loss of species, and so on.
In sum, our developing socioecological situation is quite alarming. Nevertheless, the hard-to-face reality is that each day of our lives may be as good as it will be for the rest of our lifetimes. Our main options for human survival—perhaps even achieving a sustainable existence—will occur only if humanity undertakes an urgent collective superhuman transition to a sustenance-based way of living. The scientific community appears to be acutely aware of this growing predicament, which some refer to as The Great Unraveling.
Although the chances are slim that humanity will acting timely, there’s always hopeful optimism for calming anxiety levels. An existential partially-open window for taking constructive action will continue closing within the limited timeframe available for humanity to slow down, degrow our human enterprise, and maybe eventually halt rising C02 emissions, the main concern at this time. Otherwise, the chances for a breakdown of society and the bio-ecosphere worsen each day we continue kicking the can down the road to ruin.
Discerning and Overcoming Ignorance
The foregoing introductory socioecological backstory is offered as segue into exploring the basic reasons we humans are seemingly incapable of working together for the benefit of all earthly beings. In pondering our predicament, I’ve come to think the core problem rests with the conflicting worldviews, beliefs, values, and goals transmitted via socio-cultural beliefs that originated with pre-scientific and enlightened thought.
I agree with experts who maintain that the most troubling beliefs affecting society and contributing to our human predicament are related to such ingrained socio-cultural beliefs as patriarchy, hierarchy, anthropocentrism (human supremacy), and individualism.
Patriarchy, a male-dominant social system, is thought to have originated in Mesopotamia around 4000 BCE, and authoritarian hierarchal structures developed around the same timeframe in Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt. The roots of anthropocentrism can be traced to ancient philosophies, and religious texts, including the Judeo-Christian story of creation. Individualism, and related movements such as capitalism, are associated with the European Enlightenment era in the late 17th and 18th centuries.
Returning to the theme of this post—the value of learning or a lack thereof, I picture a metaphorical state of ignorance shared by people sheltered from outside influences, whether intentionally or not. In the fourth century BCE, this topic was addressed by Greek philosopher Plato in his Republic. In illustrating how people transition from ignorance to enlightenment, he presented his Allegory of the Cave, a philosophical metaphor about the nature of belief versus knowledge.
Briefly, the allegory describes prisoners chained to one another in a large cave and forced to face a blank wall. Behind them a fire provides flickering light, and a raised walkway allows prison handlers to parade back and forth while manipulating puppets and items conveying movements that cast shadows upon the wall. The sounds created by the handlers are perceived as connected to the movement of shadows on the wall, which are interpreted as real. (A similar experience of modern-day “ignorant prisoners” is experienced when viewing propaganda-oriented news programs and on electronic screens.)
Eventually, after a long incarceration, prison handlers lead the prisoner outside the cave where they are introduced to the bright light of day (reality), and a shocking awakening. Unaccustomed to such brilliant lighting, the prisoner wants to return to the cave’s dependable darkness and shadow world. Instead, prison handlers drag the angrily-resisting prisoner up to a higher viewing point to face the full brilliance of the sun’s light and warmth. Left there long enough for eyes to gradually adapt, to gaze into a lake to see reflections of real people and objects, the prisoner slowly adjusts. First, at night with viewing the moon and stars, and eventually during daytime when the sun is partially blocked by clouds. After some time adjusting, the prisoner is able to function effectively and celebrate the full light of day.
I’ve taken some slight liberties with this interpretation, but I’m sure you get the drift of Plato’s allegory. I often interpret the craziness of some human beliefs and behaviors as representing fundamentalistic religious devotees who fail to appreciate the true meaning of the biblical verse "The people who have walked in darkness have seen a great light" (Isaiah 9:2). The prophecy’s “great light” is often interpreted as Jesus Christ providing hope and salvation to those living in spiritual darkness. Contemporary biblical scholars believe that early Christian scholars were familiar with ancient Greek philosophers, so it’s possible this biblical verse might have been inspired by Plato’s allegory.
A Little Learning (Knowledge) Can be Dangerous
In continuing our exploration, I’m reminded of the phrase "a little learning is a dangerous thing", widely attributed to Alexander Pope, a poet who wrote in his 1709 essay, An Essay on Criticism; "A little learning is a dangerous thing; Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring: There shallow draughts intoxicate the brain, and drinking largely sobers us again." The implication suggests that having superficial or incomplete knowledge can lead to overconfidence and making mistakes.
For persons who don’t think critically, the lack of insufficient knowledge and understanding of a topic can lead them to believe they know more than they do. Having an accurate understanding of anything requires a broad, deep, and systemic study of any topic or issue. In contrast, superficial knowledge can lead to misunderstandings that trigger unwise responses and outcomes.
Another way of considering this topic involves the metaphor of viewing things through various lenses, including binocular lenses, rose-tinted eyeglasses, and personally prescribed eyeglasses that adjust to accommodate eyesight problems. Lenses for near and far-sighted persons make a difference, producing either clear or blurry vision. Lenses that produce blurry vision are analogous to not having sufficient knowledge or understanding of what is seen, while clear vision reveals what’s actually there. But this doesn’t necessarily mean a person fully understands everything that’s perceived. In fact, a person’s beliefs, personality, and wellness, along with other traits, qualities, and characteristics, will add specific meaning to what is viewed.
On a personal level, the world-viewing lens through which I understand and interpret all aspects of modern civilization has changed dramatically over my lifetime, particularly in the last two decades. That’s when I began an in-depth, in-breadth systemic study of how we humans relate to the rest of Nature. In sum, I’m no longer able to unsee what my transformed psycho-emotional visual lens allows me to comprehend.
Although I would prefer viewing all areas of life through rose-tinted lenses, with everything appearing more beautiful and vibrant, there are some things that need to be seen for what they truly are. So, yes, viewing nature and all that’s true, good, and beautiful through colorful lenses may be needed in countering the harmful visioning experienced daily. To paraphrase a commenter’s relevant quote (Goodreads):
These "rose colored glasses”, despite providing such vibrancy and pleasing viewing, must not become an excuse to look away when what is viewed needs a different focus, or needs an appropriate response. We must not let any false visions blind us to reality, as they usually are misleading, often harmful, and potentially dangerous.
Why Ignorance Matters
Why ignorance matters should be obvious to enlightened people. Actually, there are plenty of well-educated people who evidence above-average intelligence and superior expertise in some special field of endeavor. Yet, they remain mostly ignorant in terms of general knowledge and skills, especially in relation to critical, big-picture thinking and understanding.
Overpowering evidence of flagrant human ignorance floods the news media daily, including persons in critical leadership roles, a phenomenon that has accelerated in this century, particularly since the buildup to the 2016 U.S. elections. The current U.S. administration presents a prime example, as do approximately half of all policy makers in congress and the senate. Well, this is my educated opinion.
As for the general population, it appears that around a third of the U.S. population remains blissfully unaware of their ignorance, individually and collectively. With the growing influence of a greatly expanding media, including social media and talk radio shows, this segment of U.S. citizens remains mostly misinformed and disinformed, as they are intentionally fed attention-grabbing, dramatically-delivered ideological, cultural, and political profit-driven media propaganda. Unfortunately, this sizeable group of Americans seems to ignore mainstream media, particularly fact-checking networks like public media that calmy and intelligently deliver balanced, evidence-based news.
Wrap Up
Do I appear biased with my comments? If so, that’s a fair assessment. I like to believe I’m biased toward a generously positive view of human nature. Anyway, this is enough information for you to stomach and digest in a single posting.
Covering such depressing qualities of our human nature can be depressing, especially in the absence of positive qualities and characteristics, of which there are many. Our ability to swing between exhibiting both negative and positive qualities and behaviors represents a major life paradox.
On the positive side of the scale, we are capable of scaling great heights in promoting the transcendental values of truth, goodness, and beauty, as we strive to realize a collective goal aimed at improving and maximizing all areas of life. Yet, on the negative side of the scale we’re equally capable of demeaning and destroying everything that makes life worthwhile; notably, our planet’s ability to provide sustenance for all living things while maintaining a stable environment.
Next week we’ll dig into the particulars of how ignorance detracts us from developing a big-picture world perspective. Topics covered will include outside-the-box thinking, the stages of human development, and the differences between intelligence, smartness, and wisdom. In the meantime, perhaps you can think of some additional relevant information for consideration.
Other articles by the Clifton Ware:
Non-Material Growth ~ Harmful and Beneficial
Material Growth ~ Both Harmful and Beneficial
A World on Fire ~ The Climate Crisis Accelerates
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Clifton Ware, D.M., emeritus professor (voice), professional singer and author of four published books and two unpublished works, retired in 2007 from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities School of Music, where he taught for 37 years. Since retiring, as a self-described socio-ecological philosopher he has spent 15 years focusing on sustainability issues, in the process of acquiring an evidence-based, big-picture understanding of all principal societal and ecological systems, including the symbiotic interconnections and role of humans as an integral part of Nature. In 2013 he founded Citizens for Sustainability in St. Anthony Village, MN, produced Sustainability News + Views (2014-2019), a weekly newsletter featuring a variety of articles and a commentary, co-composed 13 Eco Songs with his wife, Bettye, organized Sustainability Forums, and performed eco-oriented programs and presentations for several organizations.
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