This is great :) I believe that understanding how stupidity often runs parallel to close-mindedness could significantly reduce the occurrence of the former. No matter how reasonable we are, if we become entrenched in a fixed worldview, we’ll end up sacrificing reason to a fossilised belief system. From this point of view, it becomes clear that stupidity isn’t limited to any one group - it finds representation across disciplines, institutions, ideologies, and doctrines, - literally anywhere rigid thinking can take root.
I know I know people say “ Who Are You To Judge” I always answer … I know the Currency of Stupid when I see It because I have been on Both Sides of the Coin
This essay illuminates a philosophical/spiritual issue I’ve been grappling with.
I’ve recently had to face off and come to terms with the lack of intellectual capacity in people. Yet, I reason: well, they are this way because of this or that; they should be given the benefit of the doubt, etc.
I believe in the inherent goodness of humans, give people a chance - sometimes too many - and try not to use labels. In other words, calling someone “stupid” immediately creates a wall between us and enforces division.
Very enlightening and insightful and certainly explains a lot about the recent Canadian general election, but also many national elections world-wide; the common thread is an electorate continuing to vote for the same leaders no matter how bad they have revealed themselves to be; and that stupidity extends to placing faith in ideologies and political ideas that have always been known to be destructive; yes, we are surrounded by all kinds of stupidity since the dawn of our species; Bonhoeffer called the "collective stupidity" of the masses a "human defect" that resisted openness to reason or facts and with an incapacity to use critical thinking in decision making; "the inner liberation of man begins by living responsibly before God; only then may stupidity be overcome."(Bonhoeffer)
Pretty short sighted analysis IMHO. What you described as stupid people would probably run rings around you in basic life survival functions. If you were to describe most people as not showing an interest in politics, human governance, or historical realities ( corruption of societies ) your supposition would appear reasonable. Yep, society still gets destroyed, first one to build a campfire wins.
Valid argument as far as it goes. But it is an oversimplification. The big takeaway (for me) is, I really have no room or right to judge. Stupid is not malicious, evil overrides stupid every time, imho.
The rulers engineer with pure evil. Which ones are also stupid is of no consequence to us. The results are the same and they must all be removed. They wish to cull the herd, among other evil things. They do it openly now, and there is no denying it.
"Don't cook up stupidity-based excuses when understanding that evil is evil is the point."
Really interesting. Thanks again. I will be more aware of what it means to be an intelligent person. I don't like to call people stupid but this helps clarify why I often do. I was listening to someone the other day and just looked at them as I realized that he might just be plain stupid. I agree it is best to be more aware of wasting time on stupidity. I appreciate your essays!!
It’s about time someone said something. They have taken over the USA.
The reality is that the occupants of most C-suites and most government regulators in the USA were below average students who went to state universities, and they now have all of the power they need to abuse those of us who are intelligent and have backbones into submission simply for daring to disagree with them.
I was repeatedly harassed, arrested and jailed by their thugs with badges for challenging their authority of stupidity in California, which is why I am now living in Mexico looking forward to watching the USA fall apart…
Yep, the C suite types and power pros are the real losers. They live entirely on external validation and image, and even the image they revere sucks. Such dweebs. They jump all the hoops and drink themselves stupid to numb the shame and their parents prop them up and baby them. They throw away their insides and make their deal with the devil. THEN they get into the real world and run into people who are 100% internal validation. We are happier, we are more interesting, we are stronger, we are far more intelligent. We see the silliness in what they’ve done. We see through them, and they are HORRIFIED and INCANDESCENT with rage about it.
“But but but I was promised the top of the hierarchy and all the power!11”
Yes well, your rulers lie to you, child. Who knew that you could just look at the workforce pyramid and go “Eh, no thx”? Not that it’s easy. It’s just better.
It’s fun to challenge the suits in front of their departments and watch them go full fish face. Any “The sky is blue” sort of statement works just fine.
More and more individuals are breaking out of the workforce and creating their own businesses. Soon enough, there will be a parallel everything and govt can rot away entirely, the world ‘round. The rulers are panicking and they should be. Their days are numbered.
Cipolla’s work creates and describes several assertions & classifications. But Cipolla provides no empirical verification (evidence or proof) to support any of what amounts to his conjecture. In science, a law is an assertion that is very heavily supported by experimental evidence, and that is very different from a conjecture supported only by hand-waving.
This is great :) I believe that understanding how stupidity often runs parallel to close-mindedness could significantly reduce the occurrence of the former. No matter how reasonable we are, if we become entrenched in a fixed worldview, we’ll end up sacrificing reason to a fossilised belief system. From this point of view, it becomes clear that stupidity isn’t limited to any one group - it finds representation across disciplines, institutions, ideologies, and doctrines, - literally anywhere rigid thinking can take root.
Wow! a very timely article. Well done.
Iain McGilchrist wrote about how left hemisphere bias leads to ignorance.
I call those afflicted with that as "smart dumb" like depicted here.
https://robc137.substack.com/p/left-brain-vs-whole-brain-in-battlestar
With left brain bias, one believes things that do not match reality. Their bullshit detector is lacking.
https://robc137.substack.com/p/allergic-to-bullshit
I know I know people say “ Who Are You To Judge” I always answer … I know the Currency of Stupid when I see It because I have been on Both Sides of the Coin
This essay illuminates a philosophical/spiritual issue I’ve been grappling with.
I’ve recently had to face off and come to terms with the lack of intellectual capacity in people. Yet, I reason: well, they are this way because of this or that; they should be given the benefit of the doubt, etc.
I believe in the inherent goodness of humans, give people a chance - sometimes too many - and try not to use labels. In other words, calling someone “stupid” immediately creates a wall between us and enforces division.
My empathy is my blind spot. The work continues…
Very enlightening and insightful and certainly explains a lot about the recent Canadian general election, but also many national elections world-wide; the common thread is an electorate continuing to vote for the same leaders no matter how bad they have revealed themselves to be; and that stupidity extends to placing faith in ideologies and political ideas that have always been known to be destructive; yes, we are surrounded by all kinds of stupidity since the dawn of our species; Bonhoeffer called the "collective stupidity" of the masses a "human defect" that resisted openness to reason or facts and with an incapacity to use critical thinking in decision making; "the inner liberation of man begins by living responsibly before God; only then may stupidity be overcome."(Bonhoeffer)
Pretty short sighted analysis IMHO. What you described as stupid people would probably run rings around you in basic life survival functions. If you were to describe most people as not showing an interest in politics, human governance, or historical realities ( corruption of societies ) your supposition would appear reasonable. Yep, society still gets destroyed, first one to build a campfire wins.
Stupidity is not a cause. It’s a label.
A scapegoat. the moment a theory needs a scapegoat, it is no longer a theory — it is propaganda.
Valid argument as far as it goes. But it is an oversimplification. The big takeaway (for me) is, I really have no room or right to judge. Stupid is not malicious, evil overrides stupid every time, imho.
Not for Everyone.
But maybe for you and your Contrarian, Assymetric and Rebel patrons?
Hello AoI,
I hope this finds you in a rare pocket of stillness.
We hold deep respect for what you've built here—and for how.
We’ve just opened the door to something we’ve been quietly handcrafting for years.
Not for mass markets. Not for scale. But for memory and reflection.
Not designed to perform. Designed to endure.
It’s called The Silent Treasury.
A sanctuary where truth, judgment, and consciousness are kept like firewood—dry, sacred, and meant for long winters.
Where trust, vision, patience, and stewardship are treated as capital—more rare, perhaps, than liquidity itself.
The 3 inaugural pieces speak to quiet truths we've long engaged with:
1. The Hidden Costs of Clarity Culture — for long term, irreversible decisions
2. Why Judgment, ‘Signal’, and Trust Migrate Toward Niche Information Sanctuaries
3. Why many modern investment ecosystems (PE, VC, Hedge, ALT, spac, rollups) fracture before they root
These are not short, nor designed for virality.
They are multi-sensory, slow experiences—built to last.
If this speaks to something you've always felt but rarely seen expressed,
perhaps these works belong in your world.
One publication link is enclosed, should you choose to start experiencing.
https://helloin.substack.com/p/from-brightness-to-blindness-the?r=5i8pez
Warmly,
The Silent Treasury
The best post I've seen yet - perhaps only in my stupid opinion!
The rulers engineer with pure evil. Which ones are also stupid is of no consequence to us. The results are the same and they must all be removed. They wish to cull the herd, among other evil things. They do it openly now, and there is no denying it.
"Don't cook up stupidity-based excuses when understanding that evil is evil is the point."
-The Long Game's Razor
Really interesting. Thanks again. I will be more aware of what it means to be an intelligent person. I don't like to call people stupid but this helps clarify why I often do. I was listening to someone the other day and just looked at them as I realized that he might just be plain stupid. I agree it is best to be more aware of wasting time on stupidity. I appreciate your essays!!
It’s about time someone said something. They have taken over the USA.
The reality is that the occupants of most C-suites and most government regulators in the USA were below average students who went to state universities, and they now have all of the power they need to abuse those of us who are intelligent and have backbones into submission simply for daring to disagree with them.
I was repeatedly harassed, arrested and jailed by their thugs with badges for challenging their authority of stupidity in California, which is why I am now living in Mexico looking forward to watching the USA fall apart…
Yep, the C suite types and power pros are the real losers. They live entirely on external validation and image, and even the image they revere sucks. Such dweebs. They jump all the hoops and drink themselves stupid to numb the shame and their parents prop them up and baby them. They throw away their insides and make their deal with the devil. THEN they get into the real world and run into people who are 100% internal validation. We are happier, we are more interesting, we are stronger, we are far more intelligent. We see the silliness in what they’ve done. We see through them, and they are HORRIFIED and INCANDESCENT with rage about it.
“But but but I was promised the top of the hierarchy and all the power!11”
Yes well, your rulers lie to you, child. Who knew that you could just look at the workforce pyramid and go “Eh, no thx”? Not that it’s easy. It’s just better.
It’s fun to challenge the suits in front of their departments and watch them go full fish face. Any “The sky is blue” sort of statement works just fine.
More and more individuals are breaking out of the workforce and creating their own businesses. Soon enough, there will be a parallel everything and govt can rot away entirely, the world ‘round. The rulers are panicking and they should be. Their days are numbered.
I have enough respect for your writing to clarify - this is supposed to be a joke, right?
Cipolla’s work creates and describes several assertions & classifications. But Cipolla provides no empirical verification (evidence or proof) to support any of what amounts to his conjecture. In science, a law is an assertion that is very heavily supported by experimental evidence, and that is very different from a conjecture supported only by hand-waving.
Yes, Carl Jung referred to them as the ‘60% plebiscites’, which is more like 99% these days.