Ignorance is Bliss

This debate shall, unfortunately, turn into a debate about lexis and definitions quite shortly - this is inevitable, for reasons I will shortly explain. What is the phrase "Ignorance is Bliss"? The phrase "Ignorance is Bliss" is an idiom. As wikipedia explains, an idiom is: "an expression, word, or phrase that has a figurative meaning that is comprehended in regard to a common use of that expression that is separate from the literal meaning or definition of the words of which it is made" [1]. For example, take the idiom "To Kick the Bucket". There is no bucket. There is no kicking of said bucket. The reason is that the whole phrase means something different from the definitions of its constituent parts: in this case, to die. What does "Ignorance is Bliss" mean? In the case of "Ignorance is Bliss" the meaning is somewhat closer to the meaning of its constituent parts than the meaning of 'Kick the Bucket" - however, there is a highly relevant difference. The idiom originally comes from the concluding lines of Thomas Grey's poem Ode on a Distant Prospect of Eton College [2] which states: "Since sorrow never comes too late,And happiness too swiftly flies? Thought would destroy their Paradise. No more;—where ignorance is bliss,'Tis folly to be wise"As we can see, in its original setting, the phrase "Ignorance is Bliss" is part of a conditional statement. In other words, it means that it is foolish to learn the facts when doing so would cause misery and suffering, and where ignorance would be blissful. Now, if we take this to be the meaning of the phrase, then all Con's counterexamples are nullified - for in those counterexamples, ignorance is the thing causing suffering to the people so the Idiom no longer applies. Now, it means that in its original formulation: but refer back to the definition I gave of an idiom. It states that the meaning of an idiom is given "in regard to a common use of that expression". Now, language is fluid - it changes constantly and sometimes it is difficult to pin the down the way in which an expression is generally used. I believe that the phrase is generally used now as follows: "If one does not no about a problem or unpleasant fact, one will not worry about it". This seems to be the consensus amongst the dictionaries I have looked the phrase up in, and in my own experience. Take The Free Dictionary [3], which gives the example "I wish the newspapers would stop telling us about the dangers of eating meat. It seems to me ignorance is bliss". The statement is specifically saying that if one is ignorant of something worrisome or fearful, one will not be troubled by it - and this is the case even if one will come to harm through ignorance. Is the phrase correct, given this meaning? I think that in the vast majority of cases (which is really all one can reasonably hope for with proverbs - they are intended to be general guides or wise insights, not logical axioms or laws) the phrase does hold. It seems obviously true that if one does not know about a worrisome thing, one will be be happier off. This happiness might be delusional or ill advised, but it will be real. If I do not know that I will die in three days time, I will likely be happier than if I had known (until I die of course). Now, let us turn to Con's examples:1. The lions in the jungle. 2. The nuclear arms dealer. 3. The E-Ron executive. In these cases, the fear is caused by the positive presence of a false belief, rather than ignorance of a true belief. Given the above, the phrase refers to things which one does not know, rather than things one believes but are false. Thus, in these cases the phrase "Ignorance is bliss" does not apply and so cannot be mistaken about them. [1] . http://en.wikipedia.org...[2] . http://en.wikisource.org...[3] . http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com...