I had to take this position in a high school debating contest many moons ago. If I remember correctly I won the debate quite handily. I'm not sure if it was because I was a very good debater, or because it was an easy position to argue, but I suspect the latter. I think it's obvious. If one is oblivious to future perils why would one not be happy??
Actually when I put it that way I'm suddenly not so sure?
Maybe I was good at arguing??
But let's just say for now that the answer is clear, and that indeed, ignorance is bliss.
If I think about that statement in the context of all this health and fitness stuff, it occurred to me that knowing your body inside and out can be a bit disturbing at times. Perhaps because this fitness stuff encourages one to constantly measuring his/her success via all kinds of data. Weight, heart rate, speed, power output, etc.
Of course all that data collection, and observation, and analysis, achieves the exact opposite of keeping one blissfully ignorant.
Day after day, month after month, year after year the data keeps hounding you. Try harder, be smarter, work longer! And yet year after year, it also reminds you that you are fighting a losing battle.
I'm much more educated and experienced than I was some years ago, and to some degree that has allowed me to offset the slowing down that comes with age. Despite that I can feel myself slipping. Day after day, month after month, year after year.
And I'm not complaining...just observing. I welcome your thoughts.
(run 7.3 kms)
"Children's talent to endure stems from their ignorance of alternatives."---Maya Angelou
"Where ignorance is bliss, 'Tis folly to be wise."---Thomas Gray
Actually when I put it that way I'm suddenly not so sure?
Maybe I was good at arguing??
But let's just say for now that the answer is clear, and that indeed, ignorance is bliss.
If I think about that statement in the context of all this health and fitness stuff, it occurred to me that knowing your body inside and out can be a bit disturbing at times. Perhaps because this fitness stuff encourages one to constantly measuring his/her success via all kinds of data. Weight, heart rate, speed, power output, etc.
Of course all that data collection, and observation, and analysis, achieves the exact opposite of keeping one blissfully ignorant.
Day after day, month after month, year after year the data keeps hounding you. Try harder, be smarter, work longer! And yet year after year, it also reminds you that you are fighting a losing battle.
I'm much more educated and experienced than I was some years ago, and to some degree that has allowed me to offset the slowing down that comes with age. Despite that I can feel myself slipping. Day after day, month after month, year after year.
And I'm not complaining...just observing. I welcome your thoughts.
(run 7.3 kms)
"Children's talent to endure stems from their ignorance of alternatives."---Maya Angelou
Love
Peter
Change the focus to other things. I am pretty sure that when you discuss your grandchildren you are not lamenting your own mortality, but marvelling the immortality that comes with each new generation. You could just as easily be tomorrow's "rat under the henhouse", so enjoy today now!
ReplyDeleteLove old John
I agree with old. Also, if you spend all of your time analysing the body data, what happens to the rest of you? That's the part I miss the most...{>
ReplyDelete