Ignorance is bliss

1. Not knowing something is often more comfortable than knowing it.

This proverb resembles “What you don't know cannot hurt you.” It figures in a passage from “On a Distant Prospect of Eton College,” by the eighteenth-century English poet Thomas Gray: “Where ignorance is bliss, / ‘Tis folly to be wise.’”

Idioms and Phrases

What you don't know won't hurt you. For example, She decided not to read the critics' reviews—ignorance is bliss. Although its truth may be dubious at best, this idea has been expressed since ancient times. The actual wording, however, comes from Thomas Gray's poem, “Ode on a Distant Prospect of Eton College” (1742): “Where ignorance is bliss, 'tis folly to be wise.”

Example Sentences

Ignorance is bliss, at least for bigots.

From Salon

For public officials, “ignorance is bliss,” Maviglio said, pointing to mutual funds as a way to avoid conflict.

From Los Angeles Times

David Zucker: You are quoted as saying that "ignorance is bliss."

From Salon

Abrahams: Maybe we should have called the book "Ignorance is Bliss."

From Salon

“Ignorance is bliss,” said Scottie Scheffler, the No. 1 player in the world competing in his first Ryder Cup on the road.

From Seattle Times