I’m an educator so I usually regard ignorance as the enemy. But about a year ago I embraced it as a friend: I dropped out of Facebook. I am now blissfully ignorant of what is going on in the lives of many relatives, friends, and acquaintances. I like it, but worry that I may like it too much. Teckla, who is consistently a better person than I, has remained on Facebook.
But let’s put this spin on it. I am simply humble enough to admit I can’t care deeply about a large number of people. I am even less capable of caring about what people ate for breakfast. I work hard just to pray for the people to whom I actually say, “I‘ll be praying for you.” And apart from prayer, I really can’t do much for most of those befriended on Facebook. I probably don’t even do enough for the friends that I see each week.
I suppose there is virtue in simply being informed about the lives of others. But I’m not sure what the virtue is. Perhaps I lack both compassion and curiosity. Or is the bliss of this ignorance wise?
