Abstract: Sometimes people want to know; sometimes people do not want to know; sometimes people want not to know. Deliberate ignorance, or information avoidance, is often fueled by a belief that the relevant information is not useful or would be affirmatively harmful. It is often fueled by a belief it would induce negative emotions, such as sadness, fear, despair, anger, guilt, or shame. In short, the costs of receiving information may exceed the benefits. With respect to animal welfare, many people show deliberate ignorance because they believe that receiving information about the suffering of animals would (1) require unwelcome behavioral changes and (2) induce sadness, anger, guilt, and possibly shame. For those who care about animal welfare and seek to change human behavior, it is best to confront (1) and (2) directly, because deliberate ignorance is a continuing and fundamental obstacle to the reduction of suffering. A possible response is to suggest that the behavioral changes will be easy and pleasant, and a kind of adventure. Another possible response is to suggest that learning about animal welfare is intriguing and even thrilling in multiple ways, and that acting in ways that decrease animal suffering fits well with people's preferred self-image. These points bear more generally on deliberate ignorance about preventable suffering and hardship.