What I’d Rather Not Know

What is something you’ve had to learn that you wish you hadn’t?

 "Don’t tell me!" "I’d rather not know." Those are some of the people’s responses for learning about something they know is unpleasant. At times, people would ask about something, then wish they hadn’t. There are just some things we are better off not knowing about.

In Final Fantasy X-2, a character was asking about the origins of their group name and other aspects. The person who knew warned her that it was something she would not want to hear, but she convinced him to inform her. After some explanations, she didn’t want to hear the rest. In Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling, characters, especially Harry Potter, would eavesdrop, then get upset over the news, wishing they hadn’t heard.

Many people do not like to learn about their weaknesses and faults. Unfortunately, we often have to. Some people would ask others to tell them what they are doing wrong, then get mad when they hear it. There are times when people snoop around others’ private things, then get really upset when they learn about what was said behind their backs. I often doubt compliments, and am afraid of people talking behind my back.

There are some things in life we do not like to know. For example, many people do not like to know the details of how pollution affects them. I am one of them, and start feeling paranoid. In some biology and public health classes, I had to learn about things that really made me paranoid, such as bacteria, food-borne illness, and water quality. In order to move on, I had to pretend what I learned wasn’t true.

Sometimes it’s true that ignorance is bliss. It helps us enjoy life. If we follow all the risks, then we might as well not live.