I have heard the phrase “ignorance is bliss” multiple times and I did not really understand it at first. Now that I think I have some understanding, let me do a bit of a brain dump!

You may not need to know what he said about her, etc. You may not need to know what this celebrity wore on that day. Lastly, you may not need to know the cost of this product your friend had purchased, unless you intend to buy the same thing in the near future.

In essence, we can all learn to leave off that which does not concern us.

Knowledge is power

The previous phrase and this phrase almost seem contradictory. It is really not. Because:

(True) knowledge is power

A frontend engineer may need to know what is the best JavaScript framework for handling a complex app with multiple states. An infrastructure engineer will need to know about AWS and how cost-effective it is as a platform. And, an artist will need to where they can buy cheap turpentine.

When art critics get together they talk about Form and Structure and Meaning. When artists get together they talk about where you can buy cheap turpentine.

Pablo Picasso

Again, the yardstick of measuring if a piece of information is “true knowledge” is to ask if it concerns you. Also, ask if that information is useful for you.

I mentioned something similar 4 years ago in a post about deep work.

Hopefully, we all learn to seek what is beneficial to us and to become acquainted with such folks!