Our governor, Andrew Cuomo, recently drew attention for watching The Godfather. Normally no one cares if a politician watches a movie, but Cuomo is of Italian decent and for a long time he refused to see it because it has negative implications for the Italian community in America, that it generates stereotypes. Cuomo left the viewing saying artistically it was a masterpiece, but he still disapproves of its subliminal message. I've been told by Alex on several occasions that it's a good movie; I myself have never seen it and probably won't any time soon.

And that's the point: "I've been told." A lot of our life is based upon report because it's physically impossible for us to personally experience everything. For example, I have no proof from my five senses that Egypt exists, but I'm trusting other people when they say that it does. You spend your life absorbing accounts from others whether it's the nightly news or your mother's gossip about what she saw on the subway and sift through them to judge their veracity. We do it every day and we're all comfortable with our first-hand ignorance.

And yet I don't understand willful ignorance. It's just not something I can comprehend. What did Cuomo gain from refusing to see The Godfather? Nothing. Even if you don't agree with something doesn't mean you should turn your eyes away from it. If anything, if this issue is so important to you, you should make a point of watching it because then you can refute point by point why it's wrong. Cuomo's stance was, "Well, other people have told me that it reinforces the idea about Italians and the mafia, so therefore I won't watch it." That is a weak argument. Because I have follow up questions like, "What specific points in the movie confirms the stereotype about Italians and the mafia?" "Is this movie different from other movies that portray certain gang groups? If it's the same, should we just not have movies about organized crime at all if it reaffirms racial stereotypes?" "Is there anything in the movie that's redeeming for Italians?" And he would have the same answer as I: "I don't know, I haven't seen it."

There are lots of things out there that I don't agree with, but that doesn't mean I should just dismiss it entirely. Let me give a quote here: "I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes. A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet." I completely disagree with this statement. You know where it's from? The Bible, 1 Timothy 2:8-12. And I can assure you that passage was actively used to suppress women's rights for over a thousand years. So should I just ignore the Bible entirely? No. In fact, I read it actively so I can specifically say what parts I think are good and what are bad.

I think consciously shielding your eyes demonstrates a certain insecurity in your own position. If you honestly thought you're right, reading / watching / listening / seeing something isn't going to change your mind. For example, my grandmother once told me she refused to read The DaVinci Code because she "was a good Christian." What, did you think reading one book would shake the faith that you've held on to for the past eighty years? Did you think you'd stop being a Christian? I personally am regretful I never read it because I can only debate with people about it from hearsay, and I would think she'd want to as well to prove to people why The DaVinci Code is just fiction from her own knowledge of Christianity and Catholicism.

I'd totally look at the opinions from other people I disagree with like Glenn Beck or Sarah Palin. Hell, the library is currently holding for me Ron Paul's End the Fed. Mein Kampf is on my reading list. Or let's take anything from the Middle Ages. Their science is atrocious. Should I just skip that? They're unabashedly racist. Should I pass over it? Their views toward women and the poor are despicable. Should I ignore it? Then I wouldn't have much to study about. I admit my ignorance vastly overpowers my knowledge, but that's mostly out of necessity; there's only a certain number of hours in a day, a human lifespan is too short, and I have to set priorities. But to say I purposefully be narrow minded to create my own world view is something I refuse to adhere to.

I'm super hyped for A Link Between the Worlds, but I'm scared shitless that they'd go the same route as the other DS games and have a central dungeon that you repeatedly return to centered around sneaking.