Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a Lutheran theologian and philosopher who had the misfortune of being an anti-Nazi in Nazi Germany. His views cost him his life. As he sat in a prison cell waiting for the hangman''s noose, he contemplated the mob mentality that permeated Nazi Germany, and that we all witness in the extremes of both parties today. This is his theory of stupidity.
"Stupidity is a more dangerous enemy of the good than malice. One may protest against evil; it can be exposed and, if need be, prevented by use of force. Evil always carries within itself the germ of its own subversion in that it leaves behind in human beings at least a sense of unease. Against stupidity we are defenseless. Neither protests nor the use of force accomplish anything here; reasons fall on deaf ears; facts that contradict one’s prejudgment simply need not be believed- in such moments the stupid person even becomes critical – and when facts are irrefutable they are just pushed aside as inconsequential, as incidental. In all this the stupid person, in contrast to the malicious one, is utterly self-satisfied and, being easily irritated, becomes dangerous by going on the attack. For that reason, greater caution is called for than with a malicious one. Never again will we try to persuade the stupid person with reasons, for it is senseless and dangerous.
"If we want to know how to get the better of stupidity, we must seek to understand its nature. This much is certain, that it is in essence not an intellectual defect but a human one. There are human beings who are of remarkably agile intellect yet stupid, and others who are intellectually quite dull yet anything but stupid. We discover this to our surprise in particular situations. The impression one gains is not so much that stupidity is a congenital defect, but that, under certain circumstances, people are made stupid or that they allow this to happen to them. We note further that people who have isolated themselves from others or who live in solitude manifest this defect less frequently than individuals or groups of people inclined or condemned to sociability. And so it would seem that stupidity is perhaps less a psychological than a sociological problem. It is a particular form of the impact of historical circumstances on human beings, a psychological concomitant of certain external conditions. Upon closer observation, it becomes apparent that every strong upsurge of power in the public sphere, be it of a political or of a religious nature, infects a large part of humankind with stupidity. It would even seem that this is virtually a sociological-psychological law. The power of the one needs the stupidity of the other. The process at work here is not that particular human capacities, for instance, the intellect, suddenly atrophy or fail. Instead, it seems that under the overwhelming impact of rising power, humans are deprived of their inner independence, and, more or less consciously, give up establishing an autonomous position toward the emerging circumstances. The fact that the stupid person is often stubborn must not blind us to the fact that he is not independent. In conversation with him, one virtually feels that one is dealing not at all with a person, but with slogans, catchwords and the like that have taken possession of him. He is under a spell, blinded, misused, and abused in his very being. Having thus become a mindless tool, the stupid person will also be capable of any evil and at the same time incapable of seeing that it is evil. This is where the danger of diabolical misuse lurks, for it is this that can once and for all destroy human beings.
"Yet at this very point it becomes quite clear that only an act of liberation, not instruction, can overcome stupidity. Here we must come to terms with the fact that in most cases a genuine internal liberation becomes possible only when external liberation has preceded it. Until then we must abandon all attempts to convince the stupid person. This state of affairs explains why in such circumstances our attempts to know what ‘the people’ really think are in vain and why, under these circumstances, this question is so irrelevant for the person who is thinking and acting responsibly. The word of the Bible that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom declares that the internal liberation of human beings to live the responsible life before God is the only genuine way to overcome stupidity.
"But these thoughts about stupidity also offer consolation in that they utterly forbid us to consider the majority of people to be stupid in every circumstance. It really will depend on whether those in power expect more from people’s stupidity than from their inner independence and wisdom."
16 comments:
Certainly this is the path that Lynch. Brown and their fellow republican county candidates are on. They are part of a national problem that they are trying tp insert in local government. Their success would be a disaster for Northampton County.
Hopefully Bernie reminds people of who John Brow really is before the election. His handouts are pure lies.
Timely post. Both parties play to the lowest intellectual denominator while being well funded by the elite to do so. History may not repeat. But it rhymes.
It is a as true today as when written. This is why most authoritarian governments reject and attempt destroy belief in a creator or principles that challenge their power.
So, how does one become stupid? Seems to me, every one of us was BORN stupid. After all, we shit ourselves back then. However, that early act really was NOT a result of innate stupidity. It was very natural and understandable. To modify the act, only required continuing EDUCATION and logic.
There is no denying, to be educated requires the learner to be a willing participant, one who makes an effort beyond just ‘being present’ and crying when things are not as they like.
The learning process often fails because one is too lazy to advance to a higher place.
Far too many in today’s America are simply lazy. They expect everything to be handed to them without effort on their part. They are more than happy to just repeat whatever they heard last night on CNN, FOX, and others. But, those places are merely jumping-off points to begin a search for reality and truth. Remember, pretty faces on TV simply read scripts written by someone else. People backstage we never really meet. People whose motive could be to deceive.
So, do your OWN research. It’s the only way. You might be surprised, and saddened, by what you learn.
There is not knowing, not informed, and not knowledgably. We experiences these from when we are born and throughout our life. Stupid are people who override the knowing and the information in front of them to create a self based falsehood from a preconceived notion. You can be dumb and also be stupid. You can be educated and be stupid. You can be well read and still be stupid. To quote a movie STUPID IS AS STUPID DOES. Stupid is when logic, reason, education, information, and experience no longer apply to the resolution and individual creates in their own delusions. Hence things like cults, blind followings, and other things which go against reality. To quote another movie "Quite Illogical".
People are swayed by their lazy inner beliefs more then by any external force. They just gravitate to the lighting rod of lies in comfort of their own idosynrocies.
This post and the comment at 6:48 x 1,000. Worth re-reading.
6.48 you are correct if you are relying on others to make decisions for you, you will be disappointed. As we mature we need to be able to look and search for the information to guide us to what is right. It is there, but it takes effort. Watch out for anyone who is put forth as an expert. Disregard most of what the parrots on TV are repeating what they are told to say. I hope parents are teaching their children to think and analyse all information.
A point related to finding accurate information. The internet feeds us what they want us to see. Not easy to find the truth and facts sometimes
"The ultimate test of a moral society is the kind of future it leaves for its children"
This is the indicator in which we should be going by when deciding how we are doing as a nation. WE ARE FAILING.
The internet is a way of assisting people to become stupid. It gives you the easy answer matching you algorithm versus what you may need to hear or actually have to hear. It is about giving you the answer you expect to get.
That is part of the reason that the outer edges (3%) get so wacked out when they hear something that does not fit into their own warped world.
Politicians are are will kill this country.
I recently saw something, don't remember where "You can't fix stupid".. Main point was you can't fix stupid.Saw an interview where someone insisted Trump was flying around in air force one and Biden was a puppet.
This stupidity theory is great and than there is Newton's theory of relativity and the stupid imbiciles proving these facts today.
"Politicians are are will kill this country"
the lack of proof-reading will kill this country
"I hope you’ll comment on today’s latest FB Live. Nothing like a candidate bringing out the “warnings” to the staff. Is this a sign of how he plans to run the County? Rule by threat? God bless the County employees. What will it take for people to wake up and see behind this charade?"
I am blocked at Lynch's page, and rely on people to send me his videos.
After rereading this post, it made me think of a well-known Asimov quote. I often wondered about the original essay from a 1980 Newsweek magazine, so I just found it online; interesting. "There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there always has been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that 'my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.'"
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