The Human Ignorance Problem

I know, that’s a hell of a title. There’s some truth to it, but there’s also some learning within it. The answer to why I think humans are ignorant stems from the past couple years of creating dirt bike content. That might seem like a weird avenue, but hear me out.

After I was diagnosed with Psoriatic Arthritis in 2021, I did a lot of reading on autoimmune diseases. As I learned how to feel better by eating differently, I began leaning more into nutrition for athletes. This was a natural progression for me due to my many years of riding and racing dirt bikes and mountain bikes. Once my body hurt less and I was starting to ride again, I felt really good on the bike. I wanted to know if I could feel even better, and with that, perform better as well.

I shared everything I learned on Seat Time, a dirt bike website, youtube channel, and instagram account in hope to help other riders in ways I was able to help myself. The backlash, and down right ignorant responses, to this content caught me off guard. Comments were defensive to the truths I had learned, coming back with nonsensical responses. Some of this was due to older riders who were stuck in a pattern that worked for them many years ago, as well as others who just seemed to regurgitate uninformed “influencer” content (Maybe I am one of those as well).

Me being me, I knew this was deflection. These riders didn’t want to face the truth that there are ways to expand their own learnings and abilities. What they have done was good enough for them, so it should be good enough for others. Also, me being me, I responded to a few comments every now and again to see if comments were of true interest or written by those who just like to argue. No, not everyone should do this, but again, I’m ok with a little banter and tough conversations.

The word ignorant kept coming up in the back of my mind. I would ask myself over and over again “why are dirt bikers so ignorant?”. A few months ago it finally hit me, dirt bikers aren’t ignorant, it’s the human that rides dirt bikes that are ignorant. This isn’t a dirt biker problem, this is a human problem.

Before we go too much further for this piece, let’s look at what “ignorant” means and why I’m using it here.

/ˈiɡnərən(t)s/
noun
lack of knowledge or information

The word “ignorant” is often used for a person who’s unaware of important information or facts, or who’s so locked into their beliefs that new information can’t get in.

If ignorance is just a lack of knowledge or information, why does calling someone “ignorant” feel like an insult? It’s because when someone pushes back we believe they’re shaming us. We, as humans, take it as “you’re wrong” or “you’re not trustworthy,” instead of “there might be more to learn.” From the other perspective, someone will push back because their belief system is being challenged, they feel uncomfortable, or they don’t want to question themselves. For both sides, it’s the feeling of discomfort, and humans don’t like to be uncomfortable. If anything, we chase comfort.

When it comes to me and why I share what I share, I know I’m trying to help riders grow. There are certain truths I hold because I’ve seen them work for me and for others, but that doesn’t mean they’re the only way for growth and learning to happen. That’s the hard part about any piece of content on today’s platforms. The shorter the content, the more creators are forced to simplify, and that’s where nuance disappears. It can sound like we’re saying “this is the only way,” which makes us look ignorant to all the other scenarios that never make it into that one lesson.

When it comes to those who push back, I try to read with a grain of salt. I know what I know, and I know where that growth and knowledge comes from. When someone comes across as ignorant in the comments, they believe I am challenging their belief system, their competence in a field, or their confidence in themselves. What I know now is that they lack the insight to know what they’re lacking. This doesn’t make me better than them, this makes me a good coach. I don’t need to be seen as smarter, but I do need to try and help them think outside the box that they’ve created for themselves.

Within these comments I also need to reassess myself, my beliefs, and how I see the world. This reflection helps me continue to grow in the way I present myself to the world, as well as the way I deliver content. It keeps me finding new articles, research, videos, and ways to communicate in what could be a more helpful way. It keeps me evolving.

So I ask you, the reader, where are you ignorant (lack of knowledge or information) and how does it show up for you in your world? Do you lash out at those who challenge your sense of self and the knowledge you believe you hold? What would it feel like to take in new or different information for growth instead of immediately reacting in an “ignorant” manner?

What would happen if we stopped treating discomfort as a shield and started treating it as a signal to learn. - Perplexity

Here’s the thing, we’re all ignorant. No one person can know everything. So yes, ignorance is a human problem, but it’s a good problem to have. Because it allows us to leverage other humans to learn, to grow, to evolve and to adapt. We can accept we don’t know everything and start coming together for the betterment of ourselves and others, instead of trying to tear each other down for what feels like a conflicting opinion.

I’m going to keep creating content, whether it’s for dirt bikers, myself, or whoever is here reading this article. I do it to work out the thoughts in my head, to get feedback, to grow, and to possibly help others. I’m going to keep pushing people, and riders, for better. Once I stopped myself from trying to be done, I found a happiness in growth I didn’t know I could enjoy. I hope the same for you.