True ignorance is not the absence of knowledge, but the refusal to acquire it. —Karl Popper, Austrian-British philosopher (1902-1994)

My father loved music. Consequently, he often explored new technologies for playing it at home. We had stereo, then eight track tapes, then surround sound, with not just two, but four speakers amongst which you could sit. (A quick internet search shows that you can still get surround sound, with even more speakers today.)

It could be interesting to think about surround ideas, listening to a whole circle of ideas and opinions. The quote above appeals to me, but it does raise some serious questions. If I like this quote, who do I think is refusing to acquire knowledge? Is it the other person who disagrees with me, or is it me?

For years I strove to convince students that they weren’t stupid just because they didn’t know something. They could learn; that is what school is all about. But frustrated people don’t always recognize their own ability to grow.

Other times, the “ignorance” we see in others is sometimes just a difference of opinion. The difference between fact and opinion is another skill that students work on. But facts are not always an endpoint; they can be just a starting point. How we work with and interpret facts is influenced by many factors, from brain anatomy to belief systems to life experiences. Just as you may not like all types of music, you may not like all types of ideas, but listening is always helpful. It is normal to hold, consciously or unconsciously, a variety of stereotypes, with varying degrees of currency and accuracy. The challenge is to look and listen beyond them.

We may fear that if we listen, we may get confused, bullied, or misled. More often, listening can help us clarify our own beliefs. I haven’t been able to locate a citation, but I heard of a study group (in Boston, I believe) in which groups of people who supported abortion options and those who opposed abortion held multiple deep conversations. The outcome was not a lot of changed minds, but greater understanding of, and respect for, the position held by the other group while their own positions were firmed up and clarified.

An interesting op-ed piece in the Star Tribune by Doug Berdie (startribune.com/technology-robs-us-of-chance-to-endstereotypes/
507227452/) highlights how stereotypes often create barriers to growth and divide communities. One needn’t agree with everything he writes to see the validity of his position. When we do not interact with those we hold a stereotype about, we get no evidence to challenge that stereotype. Technology makes it very easy to be isolated and interact only with those we know and agree with. Despite decades of work, our communities are often still pretty clustered by race, income, education, even religion. We tend to live in little enclaves.

How can we counter stereotypes? Two things are valuable: listening to one another and working together on a neutral project. Neither happens organically when we are isolated, so grab every opportunity and then seek to create more. Practice surround ideas.