Is it Obliviousness that is Really Bliss?

I know that there are some things that I know. And I know there are some things that I don’t know. The problem is that there are potentially a lot of things that I don’t know that I don’t know. Do you know?

That sounds almost like a line from a Gilbert & Sullivan musical. For those of you who are not theater buffs or who are under the age of 50, go Google it.

I received a lot of comments via Facebook and other social media on my article on ignorance in leadership from earlier in the week. And those comments and conversations made me take another look at this issue of ignorance and bliss.

For me, I can almost assign the category of “Ignorance” to those who know that there are things that they don’t know. The word, ignorance, has taken on a cultural meaning that is not etymologically correct. The dictionary defines ignorance with words such as; unaware, inexperience, illiteracy, unfamiliarity and lack of knowledge. It does not assume that an individual is incapable or lacking the capacity to become aware, experienced, literate, familiar or knowledgeable. Indeed it is society and culture that makes that assumption about our nature.

But the category of “Oblivion” may best be described as one who does not even know what they do not know. And here I would go further and suggest that many in this category have no desire to depart from the land of oblivion and enter the land of those diligently seeking to gain awareness, experience, literacy, familiarity and knowledge. It is perhaps these that are the ones that are blissful. For to be in the ignorant camp, as noted above, is to sense that you are lacking in certain areas of your life. And it is that sense that drives us to learn and to explore and seek to become a better leader. Seeking and learning can be hard. There will be successes and failures along the way. But the process is a journey and every step takes us closer to our desired destination.