"The abyss of Ignorance"

"Human heads can be hidden in the comfortable clouds of apathy for many lifetimes. It is so easy to look upon inferiors, supposing oneself at the top of the Tree because there seems nothing but obscurity above. If any feel brave enough to try penetrating that problem, the abyss of ignorance opens out to engulf them."
Ignorance is probably the worst evil on the whole Tree. In practice, of course, it applies everywhere, but is shown theoretically in this position as separating man from the principles of understanding,wisdom ,awareness of highest purpose and lastly, eternal light. Like other evils, ignorance is a deliberate condition. The word means what it says: willful refusal to learn. It was once said that all humans make the same mistakes, but those who are wise learn from them, while those who are foolish will not. That is real ignorance.
"Why would anyone prefer ignorance to other options? The old,old reason again--artificial egoic status. Here this works two ways. If we can prevent others from learning as much as ourselves we can hold them at a disadvantage, and by refusing to recognize anything which might make us seem smaller than our own self-estimations we feel big by contrast. On the principle of "in a kingdom of idiots a fool is wise." Whether we accept ignorance in ourselves from the worst of motives, or encourage it in others to their detriment, it remains what it is, an evil which divides out entire Tree of life against the best interest of all."
Bearing in mind the nature of ignorance, we should realize it cannot be countered by mere information, instruction, or so-called education. Well-educated and informed people may yet choose to adopt a course of ignorance for covering their particular purposes. The old truism of none being so blind as those who will not see illustrates the evil of ignorance quite accurately. "

Taken from "The Tree of Evil" by William G. Gray, published by Samuel Weiser, 1974, Pages, 108,109.