Choosing Ignorance in a Chaotic World

Benny Wills

Read time: 4 1/2 minutes

I’ve worked closely with lots of people over the last few years.

My network primarily consists of those who think “alternatively.”

Many of them struggle with addiction of one kind or another. The 3 most common are:

• Alcohol

• Porn

• Information 

We’re living in an age of information. We’re saturated with it. It's easy to get lost in the sea of what happened, what's happening, and what might happen next.

Indulgence in any one thing tends to create disharmony.

Too much information can turn a rational person into a (trigger warning) paranoid conspiracy theorist. 

I know, because I’ve been there.

The rabbit hole is a wonderous place, full of insights, truth, and the keys to autonomy. But it's also like a choose your own adventure novel. 

The rabbit hole can quickly become a bottomless pit. You can freefall forever down there if you're not careful.

Habitually plunging into the darker offshoots and crevices can seriously mess with your mind.

It can also affect your:

• Attitude

• Emotions

• Relationships

• Productivity

• Motivation 

• Overall momentum in life

Instead of taking a break to come up for air, rabbit hole junkies seek quick fixes. An escape hatch. A mind-numbing shot of pure grade dopamine. 

Sometimes all three. 

Again, I know, because I’ve been there.

The deeper and darker I would go, the more I would suffer. I got to a point where I stopped trusting anything about reality. I was suspicious of just about everything. And then I’d:

I'm not throwing rabbit holes or truth-seeking under the bus. Being a "conspiracy guy" taught me A LOT. Not the least of which was the principle of questioning everything. For that, I am grateful. The willingness to question is fundamental to living a good, successful life.

But at the same time:

“There are many things of which a wise man might wish to be ignorant.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

After almost 20 years of rabbit hole exploration, I’ve arrived at a surprising conclusion.

IGNORANCE IS BLISS

Nah, I’m kidding. 

… Sort of. 

Let me put it another way:

IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH

Kidding! Again.

But seriously, there is some truth in both of these statements. 

Ignorance does not equal bliss. But intentionally choosing ignorance can have positive ramifications for your life. And thus, intentional ignorance can make you stronger. Mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. 

“Ignore topics that drain your attention. Unfollow people that drain your energy. Abandon projects that drain your time. Do not keep up with it all. The more selectively ignorant you become, the more broadly knowledgeable you can be.”

James Clear

Choosing ignorance does not mean you are choosing to limit knowledge. It means you are choosing to limit information. It means being picky about what goes into your brain. 

Your mind only has so much bandwidth. 

Don’t overload on subjects, facts, and theories that serve no constructive purpose.

Your mind needs nourishment just like your body does. Feed it a balanced diet. 

If you’re one of the many who suffer from information addiction, I got you. (I am you.)

Here are some suggestions:

1. Unsubscribe / unfollow channels, accounts, subscriptions, and podcasts that are:

   - Overly negative

   - Time-wasting

   - Useless

2. Schedule your content consumption.

   - Know exactly when you’re going to watch / read / listen to something and for exactly how long. 

3. Only consume information that you NEED right now.

   - Information that you deem helpful or beneficial to your current situation. 

4. Limit your sources.

   - Trim the fat. Silence the noise.

5. Check email at specific times.

   - Once in the morning and once at night (if possible).

   - Turn off email notifications on your phone.

6. Turn off notifications in general. 

7. Silence your phone.

8. Delete unnecessary (or time-wasting) apps.

9. Change your phone screen to grayscale

   - a simple Google search will show you how to do this.

10. Do more without your phone.

    - Hike

    - Walk

    - Bike

    - Meditate

    - READ

Start ignoring anything that’s not important or outside of your control. And behold! Your mood, attitude, and disposition will improve. 

DOOMSCROLLING

It’s easy to mindlessly consume content online. Break the habit. Before binging YouTube, BitChute, or wherever you get your fix, ask yourself these questions:

1. Will this be helpful to me in some way? Really?

2. Will this bring any value to my life?

3. Will I enjoy this?

4. Will I feel better or worse after watching this?

5. Will I learn something that’s in alignment with my goals?

“Most information is time-consuming, negative, irrelevant to your goals and outside of your influence.”

Tim Ferris 

You don’t have to be ignorant about everything all the time. I’m not saying that. If you need information, seek it out. Just be mindful of your motivations. Be intentional.  

Success in life is contingent on how narrow you can make your focus. 

Focus is the highest personal ability you can achieve. It is the distinguishing characteristic, the common denominator, among all successful people. 

Getting what you want from life means saying NO to (or ignoring) as much as possible. 

WILLFUL IGNORANCE

An examination of ignorance wouldn’t be complete without discussing the downside.

Choosing ignorance (obviously) has it’s drawbacks. A person who willfully ignores important information may put himself or others at risk. 

We’ve seen this on a massive scale over the last few years. 

Willfully ignorant people are unwilling to listen to other perspectives and counter-points. Usually because they don't want their belief systems challenged. Willful ignorance protects them. People fear change. A threat to someone's belief system is a threat their identity. But that’s a subject for another newsletter.

“The art of being wise is the art of knowing what to overlook.”

William James

Ignorance is literally defined as "a lack of knowledge or information." Where does most of our knowledge and information come from? Experience. When we fail we learn. When we do something wrong, we gain information to help us do it right the next time.

If you're a rabbit hole dweller like I was, remember that no matter deep you go, you can always look up and see the light.

Being a "conspiracy theorist" can be a lonely experience. If you're tired of the way it's making you feel, let's talk.

Knock 2024 out of the park. Make self-reliance your resolution. 

>>Click here to book a call with me today.

Until next time.

Much love,

Benny