Ignorance is defined as the lack of knowledge or information.Throughout history and present day ignorance has been used to maintain the status quo. Ignorance is detrimental to not only those around the ignorant, but as well as the beholders themselves. Ignorance prohibits the ability to be open minded to new ideas, and stride forward as a society. In modern times and in the times of slavery, we see the lack of knowledge being used as an advantage to keep the strong, strong and the weak, weak. Frederick Douglass lived in the thick of slavery in his life. Frederick Douglass was an outspoken African American who dedicate his life to abolishing slavery. He believed strongly in the fact that slavery hurt everyone, not just the enslaved. In the book …show more content…
Often in cases of civil rights, with the gaining of knowledge and the decrease of ignorance, the truth prevails. Thanks to this thirst for improvement African Americans have gone from slaves “3/5 of a white man”, to acquiring equal rights. All minorities have seen improvements in quality in life as time passes in American history. So the need to improve is essential to life. In most modern times our eyes have been opened to the LGBTQ community. With gained knowledge, stances have changed, viewpoints have been fixed, and a man can now marry another man. Embracing the change requires a lack of fear. Jawaharlal Nehru said, “Ignorance is always afraid of change.” If we enlighten ourselves on the problems of the world, it is then easier to stand up to them and for them to be addressed. When an issue is addressed with knowledge and insight, it is easier then to create your viewpoint of it. Aristotle said, “It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.” It is not always that something needs a change, but without educating yourself, it is inappropriate to form a stance on the