Ignorance is bliss.

Hello, Shakespeare. In response to your first paragraph: Your defense is that Bella was unhappy with the struggle she had to endure to win Edward's heart. From my understandig, and correct me if I'm wrong, Bella was so unhappy at being at Forks that she wanted to cry. She dreaded going to school, talking to people, etc. because she was ignorant of their reactions. She braved the storm and went to school, meeting new friends, ones that she wouldn't have met if she didn't. She also met the love of her life. Life holds struggle, both for the ignorent and intellectual. If she would have remained ignorant, she would have struggled with Forks. If she didn't, she would have never have had the fairytale ending with a love that defied death itself. I believe she said herself that Edward was all that mattered to her. If that's true, then ignorance of him could not have been bliss, for she would've been miserable if she hadn't met him and/or she remained ignorant of his existance. ("Twilight expertise"? No, but I've heard enough of it. If I am wrong on anything, let me know.) =Rebuttals= 1. You say: "First of all, a person cannot "decide" to be completely ignorant of a situation. You are negating your own definition of 'ignorance' ("total unawareness of a subject, idea, etc.)" by saying that ignorance is a decision." If you noticed, I listed that not as a definition, but an observation. I didn't realize that word choice would selection would have been so technical on a personal observation (I could understand on a definition.). I won't concede this, but I will clarify it (as such is the way of making observations more precise). Instead of "...of a subject, idea, etc." I will extend that this does not mean ignorance of the subject itself, but it's content. If you look at it more closely, you can see it could techically be inferred both ways, which I did not notice before. 2. You say: Second of all...Exactly. He or she would have no idea what good might come out of the situation, thus never being in want of what that good would be (or in fear of what bad would come of it)." This was in referance to Twilight also. If she didn't chase after Edward (metaphorically speaking), then she would've remained miserable. If a person remains ignorant of EVERYTHING, they cannot achieve "extreme happiness", the definition of bliss. Also, I don't understand why you made a point for something that you claimed was false. That seems awfully self-contradictory. 3. You say: "You are quite blissful cruising down the highway, or making smores on your camping trip until knowingness in the form of car crash or a tornado imposes reality upon you. But otherwise, the only circumstance where you would be unhappy, would be when you worrying about the oncoming black ice or twister that you KNOW could be a prospective threat." You are assuming knowledge brings dread, and ignorance always brings happiness. What if you remained ignorant of a deer that darted in the middle of the road and you crashed into it, gashing your leg? This wouldn't bring happiness. Ignorance does not grant immunity to life's fiasco's. Sometimes, it can cause injury or death. What if you were ignorant of saftey warnings, or the news when you drove one of those faulty Ford cars? Knowledge may not always bring bliss, but it is generally more benifical than ignorance, and could save your life or prevent injury. For example, the tornado that you gave in your example. If I was ignorant of the tornado, I would not be ignorant of it's destruction or injuries to myself or loved ones I might be with. The tornado itself would still exist. If I was aware that it would be there (via news, etc.), then I would be VERY, VERY happy I didn't go camping. Good luck.