Stupid People

Stupid People: The Unseen Architects of Chaos

Let’s talk about stupid people. The term might seem self-explanatory—after all, stupidity is its own punchline—but let’s try to pin it down properly.

The Oxford English Dictionary defines stupidity as “having or showing a great lack of intelligence or common sense.” The Cambridge Dictionary goes further, calling it “silly or unwise; showing poor judgment or little intelligence.” Admirable efforts, but I believe we can sharpen the definition. Stupidity, as I see it, is “a lack of ability to understand that causes harm to oneself or society.”

Note that stupidity isn’t tied to IQ. It’s not about scoring a 78 on some standardised test. Rather, stupidity is a way of thinking—a pattern of mental shortcuts, lazy assumptions, and emotional indulgences that lead to disastrous outcomes. You don’t have to be a dullard to be stupid. In fact, stupidity often wears a convincing disguise.

Here are the common traits of stupid people, laid bare.

1. They Know Everything (Or So They Think)

Stupid people are authorities on everything. Their cup is always full, their mind sealed tighter than a bank vault.

Contrast this with intelligent people, who start from a position of curiosity—a “superposition of ignorance,” if you will. They begin with the humble assumption: “I know nothing.” Whether they’re exploring the nature of reality or pondering why their toaster keeps burning bread, smart people ask, “Why is this working? What can I learn?”

Meanwhile, the stupid person declares: “I already know.” If something doesn’t fit their worldview, it’s not their understanding that’s flawed; it’s the thing that’s broken. They critique the world through a judgmental lens, mistaking their ignorance for insight.

2. They Worship the Top-Down Approach

Our universe evolved from the bottom up: plasma became atoms, atoms formed molecules, molecules birthed single-celled life, and so on. Complexity rises organically, one small step at a time.

Stupid people don’t get this. They believe in imposing change from the top down. Want a better society? Just pass sweeping laws, enforce dogmatic ideologies, and voilà—utopia delivered! Never mind that organic change is the only kind that lasts. To them, progress is something you enforce, not something you cultivate.

3. They Believe in Utopia

Speaking of utopia, stupid people cling to it like a toddler with a security blanket. They dream of perfect worlds: “If only we had Sharia law, society would be perfect!” or “If we enforced total equality, we’d all live in bliss!”

It’s charming in a tragic sort of way. They imagine a world where one Big Idea fixes everything. The reality? Utopia is a mirage—a glittering promise that fades as soon as you get close. Stupid people can’t see this because their idealism blinds them to realism.

4. They Take the Moral High Ground (And Trip Over It)

Stupid people love arguing from the moral high ground. It’s their ultimate trump card: “My position is correct because it’s morally superior!”

Here’s the problem: their morality is often shallow and impractical. They’ll push for policies or actions that sound righteous but create chaos in the long run. For instance, they might demand equality at all costs, oblivious to the second- and third-order effects: economic collapse, mass suffering, and societal breakdown.

5. Feelings > Facts

Stupid people are ruled by their feelings. They expect the world to contort itself to match their emotional whims.

For them, facts are optional. If a hard truth clashes with their feelings, they dismiss it outright. Intelligent people, on the other hand, acknowledge reality—even when it’s uncomfortable. Stupid people, however, would rather live in their curated bubble of emotional validation.

6. They Resist Change and Innovation

If there’s one thing stupid people hate, it’s change. Their reaction to new ideas is predictably reflexive: scepticism, outrage, and, eventually, whining.

New technology? It’s a threat. New scientific discovery? Suspicious. Their ideal world is frozen in the amber of their teenage years, forever insulated from progress. While great minds innovate, stupid people sit on the sidelines, grumbling about “how things used to be.”

Their favourite pastime? Complaining. If complaints were currency, they’d be billionaires.

7. They Enable Evil

Here’s where it gets sinister. While stupid people might not intend harm, they’re the perfect enablers of evil.

Evil thrives on manipulation, and stupid people are the easiest targets. They’re seduced by promises of utopia, misled by emotional appeals, and blind to long-term consequences. They handed power to communists in the USSR, mullahs in Iran, and every other despot who dangled a dream of paradise. Evil doesn’t defeat the intelligent—it exploits the stupid.

Where Do You Find Them?

Spotting stupid people isn’t always easy. They’re not necessarily uneducated or low-IQ, and they don’t wear name tags.

However, there’s one surefire place you’ll find them in droves: university humanities and social sciences departments. These are breeding grounds for stupidity, where professors invent genders, preach about DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion), and churn out nonsense faster than you can say “postmodernism.” If a smart person stumbles in, these academic gatekeepers will promptly drive them away, ensuring their intellectual echo chamber remains intact.

Final Warning

Stupid people are more than just an inconvenience—they’re a danger. Their naivety and short-sightedness shape policies, empower tyrants, and perpetuate misery. Staying safe from them isn’t just a matter of personal survival; it’s a moral obligation.

As the saying goes, “Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.” Stay sharp, stay sceptical, and, above all, stay safe.