The Value of Ignorance
Taken at a temple in Fujinomiya on the way to Lake Tanuki
The purpose of this blog post is to provide different perspectives of ignorance. Mere stupidity can be associated with Ignorance, yet a Milan Kundera novel holding that word as a title stipulates an opposite aura.
- Ignorance can help you forget your bad memories.
Although originally written in French, Kundera’s novel was first published in Spain – in Spanish and Catalan. A quote from the book: “añoranza say the Spaniards…which comes from the Catalan enyorar, itself derived from the Latin word ignorare (to be unaware of, not know, not experience; to lack or miss)… You are far away, and I don’t know what has become of you.“
Further quotes:
- When Irena saw Josef at the airport, she remembered every detail of their long-ago adventure; Josef remembered nothing. From the very first moment their encounter was based on an unjust and revolting inequality.
- As segments of their lives melt into oblivion, men slough off whatever they dislike and feel lighter, freer. And above all, Josef fell in love, and love is the glorification of the present. His attachment to the present drove off his recollections, shielded him against their intrusion; his memory did not become less malevolent but, disregarded and kept at a distance, it lost its power over him.
- The more vast the amount of time we’ve left behind us, the more irresistible is the voice calling us to return to it. This pronouncement seems to state the obvious, and yet it is false. Men grow old, the end draws near, each moment becomes more and more valuable, and there is not time to waste over recollections.
- Transfixed, she watched her shattered love, the most beautiful piece of her life, drawing away slowly and forever; nothing existed for her except that past; to it she wanted to make herself known, wanted to speak and send signals.
Do you think there’s a weird amnesia that people have built in for self-protection?
2. Ignorance leads to seeking knowledge.
Although I lived a short while in Japan when I was a little girl, I had no recollection of that time period; and therefore, felt like a casual acquaintance to the country.
“Being in a foreign country means walking a tightrope high above the ground without the net afforded a person by the country where he has his family, colleagues, and friends, and where he can easily say what he has to say in a language he has known from childhood.” – Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera.
My February visit was marked by delicious food, awe, and kindness. Luckily, I still remember a bit of Japanese and my experience of Japanese politeness was not limited to just navigating the area. Friendly small talk was offered to me by: Cooks in “mom and pop” ramen eateries, neighboring businessmen also slurping noodles, tourist information workers, a Portuguese student working as a waitress in a prison-themed restaurant, and even these little girls in their adorable school uniforms who greeted me with “douzou” in offering their seat when I stepped onto a full train car.
Yet, the quintessential Japanese bow delivers non-verbal courtesy. I found it interesting whenever I saw a shinkansen controller face and bow to patrons before he left through the doors in order to walk through the next segment.
Gentleness was conveyed through my email contact with Kaori who owns two family-run kimono shops in Tokyo. Granted it is possible to dress kimono in Kyoto, I felt I would rather spend time exploring its temples. Moreover, paying a visit to Omiya was planned in order to do view Bonsai trees; and so, Kahori Ochi Sakayea Kimono Shop was chosen. Arriving after a 10 minute walk from Omiya station, I automatically felt welcomed by the warm composure of Kaori’s mother. In fact, if it had not been for her pleasant nature, I would have thought she was angry at me with all the tugging and tightening she was doing with the different layers of fabric. After 30-40 minutes of dressing, I sneezed and really felt the snug bounds of the kimono. When it was time for my walk in the Hikawa Jinja temple, she asked for my passport. I thought it was for insurance that I would come back to the shop with the kimono, but she placed it in a purse matching my kimono. Apparently, she was reminding me to keep my passport with me.
One of the oldest Shinto shrines of Japan, Hikawa Jinja, is a short distance away from the Kahori Ochi Sakayea Kimono Shop, yet being constrained by zori slippers and a narrow kimono made the journey slower. Within the Omiya park, its Japanese garden, and the Hikawa Jinja temple grounds it is possible to take photos in your kimono such as this:
Returning to the Kahori Ochi Sakayea Kimono Shop, I had further difficulty kneeling and getting up with my kimono during the tea ceremony. Nevertheless, I was a bit sad to remove the kimono and go back to my simple self.
3. Ignorance can help you quell all your problems for a moment.
Travel opinions agree that Japan is a mix of contrasts: busy and calm, fast and slow, noisy and quiet, past and future. In my opinion, Harajuku is a prime example of such contrasts.
“She succumbs to the charm of these affinities, these furtive contacts between present and past; she seeks out these echoes, these co-respondences, these co-resonances that make her feel the distance between what was and what is, the temporal dimension of her life.” – Ignorance by Milan Kundera.
Although choices for home base while visiting Tokyo are numerous in regards to district or accommodation type, we decided to rent a holiday apartment located outside the main part of the city.. A blend of modern and traditional style (e.g. sleeping on the floor with futons and shoji doors), I was first impressed when I saw a this sign, because I am a big fan of Ghibli.
And the view of Tokyo Sky Tree when we step out of the door was an added bonus.
I probably look like this tree spirit (an adorable character in my favorite Ghibli movie “Princess Mononoke”) when I am walking among the labyrinth created by the high rises.
So to try to get a sense of the megapolis from high above, go to the 45th floor of the Tokyo Metropolitan government building for a free viewing.
In Tokyo, there are opportunities to become ignorant of the “busy-ness” side of life and achieve tranquility. The Ueno and Asakusa areas have temples at almost every turn of the corner. The Shitaya Shrine has a special place in my travel story. For the first two days of the trip, the weather was cloudy. But I kid you not that as soon as we finished going through the “omairi” at this shrine, the sun came out and only rested when it was the moon’s turn.
Shitaya Shrine: Here deities for business prosperity and happiness in marriage are enshrined.
For more chances to ignore the pace of Tokyo, why not go to visit the Omiya Bonsai Village that is a 5-minute walk from Omiya Koen Station on the Tobu Noda Line?
I’m never ready for the camera
Walking through the quiet neighborhood allows visitors to enter bonsai nurseries displaying a multitude of different bonsai styles.
At one point, it became so silent, if not for the occasional breeze blowing through the trees. George Prochnik wrote in his book In Pursuit of Silence: Listening for Meaning in a World of Noise: “Sound imposes a narrative on you and it’s always someone else’s narrative. My experience of silence was like being awake inside a dream I could direct.” Moments such as those are times just to take a breath (“qi”). To let go and connect with oneself.
“Every person has a pile of garbage in their belly because it is the only place the body has in which to repress emotions…These repressed feelings prevent you from breathing properly…Once you take a deep breath, the wounds from those repressed emotions release their energy…When too many repressed feelings enter the belly, the body splits in two, into upper and lower halves. In that event, you are no longer a single entity and lose that sense of wholeness.” — Indian spiritual leader Osho.
Yes, ignorance can be bliss.
My favorite magazine, “The Atlantic” writes:
The only thing worse than ignorance is indifference.
*****
My current read: A book of Rumi’s poems found in a secondhand bookstore in Salamanca, España
Along with this, my next post discussion: Last week’s short 4 day holiday in Portugal.
Your kimono experience was interesting. When I as a girl we had Japanese neighbors who were living in Canada for a couple of years. Our friend Horoko dressed my mother in a kimono, in the middle of Saskatchewan. It was quite an undertaking. i wish now .
Yes, it’s a great experience to “feel” a certain part of another culture. And it was great conversing a bit and learning the names of the different parts of the kimono as well. Thanks for visiting my blog!
A great post and a very thought provoking contemplation about ignorance. I see that so much for example here in China, people are much happier because they are mostly ignorant of dramatic historical events that lead them to where they are today… Educating them about it seems to only cause pain.
I agree with you. China can be though of as going through “boom” right now, so that may play a part in why some may not want to look back at a painful history. Maybe it is like being in a new relationship, which causes one to have ignorance towards a previous relationship that left one unhappy.
This is a wonderful post and something to think upon. Thank you
And thank you for visiting =)
enjoy reading your writing and seeing the beautiful photos in this post 🙂
Many thanks for visiting =)
My second favourite magazine is ‘The Atlantic Monthly’ if that is the same as ‘The Atlantic’. My favourite is ‘Harper’s Magazine’ and ‘The New Yorker’ which I subscribe to even though it doesn’t always get the best short stories
Yes, when I mention the “The Atlantic” I am referring to the “The Atlantic Monthly”….often, I cannot find the actual magazine where I am residing, so I usually have to read the content online. For some reason, I have not really gotten into reading “Harper’s” or “The New Yorker”. Another magazine I like, which is of a much different genre compared to the three magazines mentioned above, is “The Lucky Peach”…it is a food magazine.
I liked the way you write, and the way you link readings and life experiences. It was like scientific writing with a lot of soul. Thanks for sharing.
Many thanks for your kind compliment. I try to share the light of the writings I read and try to convey them with my own experiences or thoughts in attempts to brighten what the writers were trying to shine.
Another insightful post that adds to my high expectations of your writing. It is also a bit coincidental because a friend mentioned the Kundera ‘Unbearable lightness…..” book to me very recently – obviously I am destined to read it.
I myself have a HIGHLY selective consciously-induced amnesia. The process goes like this: something in the physical world nods to something unpleasant in my past, it induces a physical and mental ‘shiver’ in me and then I actively suppress all thought of it by inducing a kind of mental static. Because I am an emotionally repressed english person it usually involves remembering socially awkward situations 🙂 My plan is to wait until I am middle-aged for it to all erupt in a frenzy of crisis.
Also, with your Japan link – I lived in China for a number of years and total ignorance (for me) lead to self improvement, knowledge acquisition and creativity – all induced by being thrown into a situation of which I had the comprehension of a 5 year old. Travel broadens the mind BECAUSE its the journey from ignorance to knowledge.
Keep up the good work 🙂
Ah, yes, read Kundera’s book “Unbearable Lightness of Being”!
I am still trying to develop my “highly selective consciously-induced amnesia” for certain memories. And I like your plan to wait until middle age in order to face those situations. Doing so may provide more fuel to a “mid-life crisis” I hear is popular among us humans.
Lastly, I agree with you that it is the journey from ignorance to knowledge that broadens the mind. I like coming into a country depaysant .
You had me in the first pic! 🙂 On your question about that weird amnesia for self-protection, I think it’s more of denial and maybe it happens for most people who are afraid of the ‘truth’. ‘just a thought! 🙂
It’s true that the weird amnesia can be thought as denial. We now it’s there, but we ignore it on purpose. Sometimes this can be a good thing because it can give us courage to move on from whatever bad memory may haunt us.
Rumi, Kundera and Exile…I am sure we are going to get along just fine. Exquisite post.
=D Rumi and Kundera produce beautiful words — happy you agree.
“A person is never happy except at the price of some ignorance.”
Anatole France
Agreed =)
Ignorance leads to seeking knowledge. Yes indeed and more agreeably, The only thing worse than ignorance is indifference.
You write well.
If one ever said they know it all, truly has not learned anything. There will always be something learned each day. We all strive for knowledge, well at least most of us do. There are some running after wealth only to learn in the end they are missing so much. Life within it’s self is a gift greater than all. The Bonsai tree is beautiful. Wonderful post. 🙂
Yes, I agree…not knowing, helps drive the need to learn something new each day — whether it be about ourselves or that which is outside of ourselves. Knowledge helps us grow.
Ok, I MUST know one thing… WHERE can I get one of those tree spirits?? 🙂
I love the uplifting tone you manage to create. Looking forward to much more!!
Haha…it always brings a smile to my face when I see one of the tree spirits. There is a scene in the movie in which they are from (Princess Mononoke) in which numerous of the tree spirits inhabit the forest shaking their heads with each their own unique “lost” expression.
As you said, ignorance can be a blessing of some sort. If we take it as a positive motivation, ignorance will drive us to search for answers, to explore and discover a part of ourselves and those around us with much exictement and enthusiasm. Beautiful photos. Just serene . I felt like was in a zen garden. Thanks for sharing an inspiring post. Wishing you all life’s wonderful blessings.
Nice article…please keep updating
Many thanks for the compliment =)
A made me think post
Thanks for sharing, Jenny
Interesting site! Love the shrines as well! ^^ the recognition of ignorance is the beginning of knowledge.
I often wonder if my ignorance is built in for me to fail – I learn more and more how to battle it.
Great post. I find Japan and Japanese people interesting. I am a martial arts practitioner. When the skinkansen controllers bowed to my carriage, in which I was the only passenger, I nodded back, which they thought was funny and made them smile. I did it every time. We ‘became friends’ as it were. Thanks for your presentation of Kundera.
Thank you for sharing that funny story about the shinkansen controller…seeing the man bow each time he left our carriage was one of the highlights of my trip. Another example of Japanese extreme politeness happened when I was walking in the train station but suddenly we realized we were going the wrong way and as I turned around quickly, I did not realize a girl was following behind me also rushing. Inevitably, we bumped into each other and she started apologizing and bowing right away as if it was all her fault. Lastly, I encourage you to read more writings of Kundera =)
Interesting points of view on ignorance and the photos are beautiful.