The Basic Laws of Human Stupidity
h/t @Kap_Attack_ for a fantastic must read book recommendation
"The following pages are in fact the result of a constructive effort to detect, know and thus possibly neutralize one of the most powerful, dark forces which hinder the growth of human welfare and happiness"
First Law: Always and inevitably everyone underestimates the number of stupid individuals in circulation.
First Law Explained:
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Second Law: The probability that a certain person be stupid is independent of any other characteristic of that person.
Second Law Explained
🚨 TECHNICAL INTERLUDE 🚨
Figure #1!
Each one of us has a current balance with everybody else. From action or inaction each one of us derives a gain or a loss and at the same time one causes a gain or a loss to someone else. Gains and losses can be conveniently charted on a graph.
Third ( 🪙 Golden 🪙 ) Law
A stupid person is a person who causes losses to another person or to a group of persons while himself deriving no gain and even possibly incurring losses
Third ( 🪙 Golden 🪙 ) Law Explained
Four Basic Categories
H = Helpless
I = Intelligent
B = Bandit
S = Stupid
🚨 TECHNICAL INTERLUDE 🚨
Figure #2!
The Bandit gains something from harming you, the more they gain the closer they are to intelligent (above line M), the less they gain the closer they are to stupid (below line M). Think of a general who causes vast destruction and casualties in return for a promotion or medal.
Bandit vs. Stupid vs. Super-Stupid:
The majority of stupid people are basically and unwaveringly stupid... Stupid people cause harm to you and gain nothing themselves, but there is a next level... a *super-stupid* person, who causes harm to you AND harm to themsleves.
Stupidity and Power:
The Question that reasonable people often raise is how and why stupid people can reach positions of power and consequence.
The Power of Stupidity:
When confronted with a stupid individual you are completely at his mercy.
The Fourth Law: Non-stupid people always underestimate the damaging power of stupid individuals. Non-stupid people constantly forget that at all times and places under any circumstances to deal and/or associate with stupid people infallibly turns out to be a costly mistake.
The Fourth Law Explained: You can't outmanoeuvre stupid
The Fifth Law: A stupid person is the most dangerous type of person. A stupid person is more dangerous than a bandit.
The Fifth Law Explained:
And the country goes to hell
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