Willful Blindness

01We often ignore clear warnings because we choose to be blind to them

Margaret Heffernan's concept of willful blindness is a fascinating look at how we humans often choose to ignore things that make us uncomfortable or challenge our beliefs. It's not that we consciously decide to turn a blind eye, but rather an automatic response our brain uses to keep us feeling balanced and avoid mental conflict. Let's break it down with an example. Say you're a smoker. You know it's bad for you, you've seen the warnings on the packs, and your doctor has told you to quit. But you keep smoking. That's willful blindness in action. You're choosing to ignore the clear dangers because facing them would be too uncomfortable. But it's not just about personal habits. This tendency to ignore the uncomfortable extends to bigger societal issues too. Take climate change, for example. There's a ton of scientific evidence that it's happening, but many people choose to ignore it. Why? Because facing it would mean having to change their lifestyle or confront some hard truths about how our society operates. Heffernan suggests that our brains can't handle all the information we come across, so we have to filter some of it out to avoid getting overwhelmed. The problem is when we start filtering out the stuff that makes us uncomfortable or challenges our beliefs. This selective ignoring, or willful blindness, can lead to some pretty dangerous outcomes, both for us as individuals and for society as a whole. For example, willful blindness can stop us from seeing and dealing with problems in our personal relationships, leading to communication breakdowns and even breakups. On a larger scale, it can lead to societal issues, like the continuation of harmful stereotypes or the failure to tackle big problems like racism or inequality. Heffernan stresses the importance of facing our willful blindness head-on. By acknowledging and dealing with the things we choose to ignore, we can make better decisions, improve our relationships, and help create a fairer and more sustainable society. Sure, it takes courage and a willingness to challenge our own biases and assumptions, but Heffernan believes the rewards are more than worth it.