Most of the time when we say "ignorance is bliss", we don't really think not knowing something is good, we just mean that people that don't know or are not interested in knowing maybe exempt from the frustration or consequence of knowing. Therefore, it's not that being ignorant translates into happiness or contentment, but it just avoids the possibility of unhappiness... But is it true that ignorance is bliss? Does knowledge bring us the never ending pursuit of better and more at the expense of our happiness? Or does knowledge simply expand the range of the happiness scale?
Before we moved to California, I had tried wine but didn't know much about it. I have had red and white wine from bottles, glasses, and boxes, but none of that made a difference to me. Wines were just another type of alcoholic beverage and as long as that's the case, they all tasted pretty good to me. After 10 years of living in California, it's hard not to have gone to wine tasting events, listened to professional wine makers and tasters about their experiences, and drink and share wine with wine enthusiasts, connoisseurs, and inevitably wine snobs. Since I am interested in the subject, I also learned a few things about wine making, wine tasting, and the characteristics of good tasting wine. These days, the same glass, bottle, or box wine just do not taste the same as the past. There are definitely good wines, bad wines, excellent and unforgettable wines, and downright offensive and disgusting wines!
Knowledge in this case reset the standard of my pallet which allowed me to differentiate amongst wines. The good news is that I am able to enjoy the good wines more than I used to, but the bad news is I will never be able to enjoy an "average" or "bad" glass of wine the same way I did before just because it was an alcoholic drink.
The standards established through acquired knowledge not only allowed me to enjoy wine, but also fresh sashimi, garden-grown tomatoes, a well-performed piece of music, and an interesting conversation with a friend at a level that's deeper and more meaningful. However, on the flip side, because of the new standards, some sushi restaurant and the non-vine ripened tomatoes just do not taste the same! If you were given a choice to enjoy wines without being able to differentiate the excellent from the average but always enjoy that glass of fermented grape alcoholic drink, which one will you choose? If the choice was not just wine, cuisine, and art but love, partner, and life itself, what will your choice be? Live blissfully or know these subjects inside and out and risk expanding the range of your happiness and experience the highs and lows of life?
