Not sure what got us on a search for the right word, but as Andrew and I exchanged examples of contemporary lapses in “what the heck were you thinking?” bone-headedness behaviors, or sheer ignorance, it didn’t take us long to narrow down our list.
Although “absurdity,” “idiocy,” “lunacy” and “madness” rounded out our choices, in the end we decided to go with “stupidity.”
You see if it’s not some fool zig zagging through heavy traffic at 90 miles per hour, screaming at players from the bleachers at basketball games, unnecessary road rage, or assaulting cops at the nation’s capital three years ago, it’s some other form of craziness. Oh, did I mention the nutty stuff folks post in social media, the fertile ground for stupidity? Point is that stupidity can spring up at any time and in any place.
“Oh wait,” said Andrew. “After I hang up, I’m going to send you a compelling piece on the theory of stupidity that you may find interesting. It’s written by Dietrich Bonhoeffer.” I got and read it right away.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a German Lutheran pastor, theologian and anti-Nazi dissident. He was known for his staunch resistance to the Nazi dictatorship and was arrested in 1943 by the Gestapo and imprisoned at Tegel Prison.
“Stupidity is a more dangerous enemy of the good than malice,” he wrote. “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.”
In the 1970s, Carlo Cipolla, a social psychologist, wrote “that a stupid person is a person who causes losses to another person, or to a group of persons, while deriving no gain for himself, and possibly incurring losses. Stupidity is independent of any other characteristics of that person: whether nationality, ethnicity, sex, economic status, or even education. The frequency in a given group is independent of the size of the group.”
Now as I thought about Cipolla’s reference to “group size,” as I reflected on my life experiences relating to stupidity – others and yes, my own – I kept coming back to the relationship between the power of “group think,” or, in other words, adopting bad behaviors to remain acceptable to the group. Get vulnerable and seemingly intelligent people in the right circumstances, they can become downright stupid at the blink of an eye.
And if we’re honest with ourselves we can’t ignore the relationship between alcohol and stupidity. Case in point was my great – and sometimes “stupid” – days in college when we hazed young men who pledged to gain membership into our fraternity. Also not to be ignored were how often we gulped down cheap Boone’s Farm apple wine and Mad Dog 20/20 before engaging in outrageous things (I’ll skip the details) that should have gotten our inebriated behinds thrown in jail.
Back to Bonhoeffer who wrote that stupid people are dangerous and damaging because reasonable people find it difficult to imagine and understand unreasonable behavior. Non-stupid people constantly forget that at all times and places, and under any circumstances, dealing with or associating with stupid people turns out to be a costly mistake.
Now to make this narrative personal, have someone you know (window) – yourself (mirror) included – top of mind as you read the following behaviors people often engage that are unwise or irrational for several reasons:
Emotional Influence: Strong emotions like stress, anger, or excitement can cloud judgment, leading individuals to act impulsively without considering the consequences.
Social Pressure: The desire to fit in or gain acceptance from peers can push people to engage in risky or foolish behaviors, even when they know better.
Cognitive Dissonance: When people hold conflicting beliefs or attitudes, they may rationalize their behavior to reduce discomfort. For example, someone might know smoking is harmful but continue because they enjoy it.
Lack of Self-Control: Some individuals struggle with self-regulation and may find it difficult to resist immediate gratification or temptation, even if they understand the long-term consequences.
Overconfidence: People may overestimate their ability to handle risky situations, believing they can avoid negative outcomes despite a clear understanding of the risks involved.
Habitual Behavior: Sometimes, individuals engage in behaviors out of habit. Even if they know a behavior is unwise, breaking a habit can be challenging.
Desire for Novelty: The search for excitement or new experiences can lead people to take risks, even when they know the potential dangers.
In the end, we’re all capable of an occasional slip-up, of saying or doing stupid things. However, understanding the factors above can help in recognizing and addressing behaviors that we may soon come to regret. So before doing something potentially problematic, ask yourself what are the rewards, risks and potential consequences?
And if you don’t have an answer I have this one for you….don’t! © Terry Howard is an award-winning writer. He is a contributing writer with the Chattanooga News Chronicle, The American Diversity Report, The Douglas County Sentinel, Blackmarket.com, recipient of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Leadership Award, and third place winner of the Georgia Press Award.