Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. At the end of the 20th century, with live broadcasts from warzones, 24-hours international financial trading and a global population pushing past the 6 billion mark, we have never been more connected. It's much easier to insulate ourselves and pretend that we are separate. Personal sanity pretty much requires it. We are paralyzed by bad knowledge, from which the only escape is playing dumb.
Ignorance becomes empowering because it enable people to live.
Stupidity become proactive, a political statement. Our collective norm. But the Industrial Age is indeed yielding to the Information Age. We are part of a system that's unsustainable and we must be part of transforming it. Making that connection and deciding to do something about it opens up new possibilities for the right psychological and physical circumstances so something special can happen.