People & Major Ignorance
NewExample
Posts: 1,196 Forum Member
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I posted something in the Margaret Thatcher thread earlier, which garnered no response. It was getting heated in there at the time so maybe no one noticed. Anyway, as the news broke of her death, I told a friend and she replied with 'Who?', she then claimed that was a joke 
and said this: I don't want to inform myself about things I'm not interested. Okay I apologize for saying who? I did listen in school just not in history or things like that because it just doesn't interest me. I.know yeah oh you should know about your country but im not gonna be here forever so there's no point.' - that was after me asking why you would joke about that, it didn't understand, and she said she knew she was the first female PM and that was it.
What I wanted to ask is why people just don't care about things and is this a bad trait to have, no interest in history of major things and general ignorance to matters? She's always asking 'who?' 'What's that' but to be honest I was surprised she had no idea what I was talking about. It's akin to not knowing anything about WWII. It just really annoys me.
And please don't turn this into a Thatcher debate. There are other threads available for that. This is about ignorance.
and said this: I don't want to inform myself about things I'm not interested. Okay I apologize for saying who? I did listen in school just not in history or things like that because it just doesn't interest me. I.know yeah oh you should know about your country but im not gonna be here forever so there's no point.' - that was after me asking why you would joke about that, it didn't understand, and she said she knew she was the first female PM and that was it.What I wanted to ask is why people just don't care about things and is this a bad trait to have, no interest in history of major things and general ignorance to matters? She's always asking 'who?' 'What's that' but to be honest I was surprised she had no idea what I was talking about. It's akin to not knowing anything about WWII. It just really annoys me.
And please don't turn this into a Thatcher debate. There are other threads available for that. This is about ignorance.
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You have a point as George Santayana who, in his Reason in Common Sense, The Life of Reason, Vol.1, wrote "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."
It is a valuable lesson - (and here comes the Godwin's entry). History tells us so much - including the way dictators have come to power. I often think that children should be shown Schindler's list - in order to learn about the Holocaust.
(you are also making me feel old talking about things I remember as history)
Next time she's asking 'who?' or 'what?' you should advise her to educate herself. I don't mean that to sound really rude, it's beneficial for her in the long run. and for you, I would imagine.
She's 19. She claims to have no time to educate herself on matters which effect the world or the country. I pointed out the above poster about history repeating itself and it's rather stupid as an adult to be apathetic. I don't just mean with regards to politics here, I am talking about rational ordinary things; she seems to revel in her stubborn attitude to not know about things, that regardless of time or urgency (how does anyone know when) will affect her.
Nonsense. Age is not an excuse for ignorance - and I say that as someone who is the same age as the person the OP is talking about. There is a difference between not knowing much about her policies/ideology and not having heard of her at all. The former is somewhat forgivable but still rather ignorant considering the massive influence her legacy has had in British politics. The latter is just stunningly ignorant. How can you not have even heard of Britain's only female PM? It's not like she isn't talked about or mentioned after 1990.
Ignorance is bad enough, but to revel in it is even worse. I don't see why it's something to be proud of.
Do you remember who was prime minister before you were born?
Yes Thatcher would be known to those over 30 but not necessarily anyone under 20.
But even so, not everyone (unless they are a historian) would necessarily want to know or retain information not relevant to them, especially with historical figures.
Hmm... The teenagers i know at work aren't like this thank goodness. I honestly couldn't be friend with someone like that.
Unless she's watched The Iron Lady, she's excused.
Yes, John Major. Next question.
And I would agree, although whilst at school we were taught about modern history and the Cold War etc, and how the Soviet Union collapsed and it's relevance to her and the modern day. It isn't hard to just go on Wikipedia and quickly educate yourself. And I'm not entirely sure she was joking, but she always says how she doesn't remember the names of these people, but will recognise faces. Maybe she said that then put the news on. Who knows. And with regards to someone who said they couldn't be friends with someone like that, if I wouldn't end a friendship because of it, and fortunately I would never do that anyway. We've been close friends for 16 years; and besides it would be very odd to do that. We've never argued, just bickered and annoyed each other, say what you think and move on. And to those thinking I'm a bit of a bitch, yes I shall tell her I posted a thread about this issue
Don't get me wrong, maybe you're right and she is just thick and ignorant, I don't know her, but 19 is way too young to write someone off. She's got years to grow up (if she wants/ needs to) and perhaps pick all this stuff up.
We watched Schindler's List in Year 11, don't know if it's part of the curriculum but I know loads of others that went to different high schools and they watched it in RE too.
Lots of baiting as well. :rolleyes:
It'll probably be a few days before we can actually have a proper discussion of her legacy.
Good post. So many times I hear people complaining about 'bloody politicians' and I always feel tempted to ask them if they could actually name a few.