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Rational Ignorance In Upton Sinclair's The Jungle

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On June 8th, 1906, Teddy Roosevelt faced a pivotal moment in history, being forced to grapple with a decision that would affect the entire nation. Among many challenges, this concept of rational ignorance emerged, highlighting how individuals have this tendency to choose to remain uninformed about certain topics and issues. This is due to the imbalance between the effort to attain knowledge, and its benefits. Roosevelt was confronted with this dilemma involving the choice to accept the revised bill from the House of Agriculture Committee and support it in the skeptical Senate or risk no growth in the country by sending it back. This decision held significance, intertwining many implications with the meatpacking industry, as the bill aimed to …show more content…

Prior to 1906, discussions involving the regulations were nonexistent and brushed aside. Although they were all wary of this issue at hand, they tried to sweep it under the rug. Due to people’s laziness and nonexistent work ethic, they don’t want to find other ways to attain the products they need. The release of “The Jungle” by Upton Sinclair led to discussions as it intertwined with the House Agriculture Committee’s proposal to fund research and innovation, leading to a new era of progress. Essentially, these intertwined concepts collectively confront this concept of rational ignorance, a tendency prevalent among Americans to remain uniformed about political and social issues.This inclination is pronounced concerning the complexities of the meatpacking industry and its various misfortunes. Roosevelt’s skill with engaging the public complicated issues and helped the country understand things better and move past not knowing about important topics, fixing the nation’s rational ignorance. His leadership not only facilitated a deeper comprehension of these issues but also spurred collective action towards meaningful

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