Counterintuitive Facts (20): Stupidity Is More Dangerous Than Evil Because Stupidity Cannot Be Refuted
PremiumBonhoeffer's Theory of Stupidity: Stupidity isn't an intellectual deficit, stupidity is a moral choice
I. During the Nazi era, German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer was arrested for participating in a plot to assassinate Hitler. While awaiting execution, he pondered a question: Why did so many well educated, inherently good Germans collectively go mad and support Nazi atrocities? Was it because they were evil?
II. He reached an unsettling conclusion: Stupidity is a more dangerous enemy of humanity than Evil.
III. Why is stupidity more terrifying than evil? Because evil at least has logic. Evil people pursue profit, power, revenge. You can understand them. You can predict them. You can negotiate with them. You can even eliminate them by force. Evil can be fought.
IV. But stupidity is different. Against stupidity, we are almost completely powerless.
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