Conscious Ignorance: The Real Enemy

There can be no doubt that, of all the frictional resistances, the one that most retards human movement is ignorance.  Not without reason said that man of wisdom, Buddha: "Ignorance is the greatest evil in the world." The friction which results from ignorance, and which is greatly increased owing to the numerous languages and nationalities, can be reduced only by the spread of knowledge and the unification of the heterogeneous elements of humanity.  No effort could be better spent.  But however ignorance may have retarded the onward movement of man in times past, it is certain that, nowadays, negative forces have become of greater importance.  Among these there is one of far greater moment than any other.  It is called organized warfare.  - Nicolas Tesla 1900

Tesla was a wise man as the quote is in reference to the negative force of organized warfare.  Speaking of which...

Trebek queries... The end result of decades of consolidation and control over sources of influence and education.

As ignorance is shrewd and deceptive, the greatest mistake is to equate it with stupidity, a lack of intelligence or education. Our wisdom walks hand in hand with our idiocy, so those under the "influence" or negative force of this organized warfare, are easily recruited and will attempt to sway others.  

Our emotions rule our brain and our ego convinces us that its best interests are in our best interest. This leads to the delusion of the wrong view being the right view or "conscious ignorance".  

Alex, what is the collective "conscious ignorance" which runs deep in our country.  

"When falling under the influence of misguided people and wrong views. Not only destroys the merit you have accumulated in the past, but also blocks your path to freedom in the future." - Buddha