QOTD: Is This Quote Still True?

 

Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity. — Hanlon’s razor.

In saner times, Hanlon’s razor would be a reliable guide to understanding current events. But today, I’m not so sure. I’m not a conspiracy theorist — yet — but I’m thinking of taking it up.

Look at the accomplishments of the Biden administration, particularly the Afghanistan exit. Stupidity can’t do all that by itself. The stupidity is there, but it’s a malicious stupidity driven by a visceral animosity toward a large portion of the American people. Bungling stupidity would accidentally get something right once in a while. (See Carter, Jimmy.) Malicious stupidity works with a chilling consistency. Every aspect of the Afghanistan withdrawal was handled badly. And that’s not the only thing they’ve screwed up. If the Biden administration intended to damage the country, what would it do differently?

White House Press Secretary Jennifer Psaki is another counterexample to Hanlon’s razor. She has a difficult job, which is to defend the indefensible by saying the unbelievable. How do you explain Psaki? She isn’t stupid, and an honest person would have quit long ago. Dishonesty is malice.

Another example of malice over stupidity is the Russia collusion hoax. This was a genuine conspiracy. The people involved weren’t stupid, and they intended to do harm. Yes, they may have deluded themselves into thinking it was for a good cause, but a lot of evil is justified the same way. We still don’t know if the perpetrators will pay a price.

There was nothing stupid about the “fortification” of the 2020 general election. The people involved knew exactly what they were doing. They made unconstitutional rule changes in front of everybody, betting correctly on the dishonesty of the press and the cowardice of the courts. The other things they did are well known. Chalk up another one for malice.

Add to this malignant mix all the soft-on-crime public prosecutors, the defund-the-police movement, and the mayors willing to let their cities burn down. We’re still just scratching the surface.

If you took the character of all of the examples listed above and distilled it down to a concentrated toxic substance, you would have the Loudon County School Board. Now, that’s malice.

Let’s pray for the eventual restoration of Hanlon’s razor.

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  1. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    DaveSchmidt (View Comment):

    Percival (View Comment):

    Stina (View Comment):

    I’ve always hated Hanson’s Razor because if it is true, it stands in opposition to the meritocracy we claim to have. If only stupid people get raised to the highest offices and positions of the land, then there is no meritocracy. Otherwise, malice explains 90% of it.

    According to the Peter Principle, everyone is promoted to their level of incompetence, so the trick is to catch them before they’ve arrived.

    Has Mayor Pete peaked yet?

    I think Pete’s peak was probably winning that election. It doesn’t sound like he was the Fiorello La Guardia of South Bend.

    • #31
  2. DaveSchmidt Coolidge
    DaveSchmidt
    @DaveSchmidt

    Percival (View Comment):

    DaveSchmidt (View Comment):

    Percival (View Comment):

    Stina (View Comment):

    I’ve always hated Hanson’s Razor because if it is true, it stands in opposition to the meritocracy we claim to have. If only stupid people get raised to the highest offices and positions of the land, then there is no meritocracy. Otherwise, malice explains 90% of it.

    According to the Peter Principle, everyone is promoted to their level of incompetence, so the trick is to catch them before they’ve arrived.

    Has Mayor Pete peaked yet?

    I think Pete’s peak was probably winning that election. It doesn’t sound like he was the Fiorello La Guardia of South Bend.

    He is Transportation Secretary.  That is probably a step up. 

    • #32
  3. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    DaveSchmidt (View Comment):

    Percival (View Comment):

    DaveSchmidt (View Comment):

    Percival (View Comment):

    Stina (View Comment):

    I’ve always hated Hanson’s Razor because if it is true, it stands in opposition to the meritocracy we claim to have. If only stupid people get raised to the highest offices and positions of the land, then there is no meritocracy. Otherwise, malice explains 90% of it.

    According to the Peter Principle, everyone is promoted to their level of incompetence, so the trick is to catch them before they’ve arrived.

    Has Mayor Pete peaked yet?

    I think Pete’s peak was probably winning that election. It doesn’t sound like he was the Fiorello La Guardia of South Bend.

    He is Transportation Secretary. That is probably a step up.

    I particularly liked the part where he took his bike out of an armored SUV so he could ride the last block or so to a Cabinet meeting.

    • #33
  4. DaveSchmidt Coolidge
    DaveSchmidt
    @DaveSchmidt

    Percival (View Comment):

    DaveSchmidt (View Comment):

    Percival (View Comment):

    DaveSchmidt (View Comment):

    Percival (View Comment):

    Stina (View Comment):

    I’ve always hated Hanson’s Razor because if it is true, it stands in opposition to the meritocracy we claim to have. If only stupid people get raised to the highest offices and positions of the land, then there is no meritocracy. Otherwise, malice explains 90% of it.

    According to the Peter Principle, everyone is promoted to their level of incompetence, so the trick is to catch them before they’ve arrived.

    Has Mayor Pete peaked yet?

    I think Pete’s peak was probably winning that election. It doesn’t sound like he was the Fiorello La Guardia of South Bend.

    He is Transportation Secretary. That is probably a step up.

    I particularly liked the part where he took his bike out of an armored SUV so he could ride the last block or so to a Cabinet meeting.

    He was the main advocate for LimeBikes. That probably qualified him to be Trans Sec in the Biden Admin. 

    • #34
  5. KCVolunteer Lincoln
    KCVolunteer
    @KCVolunteer

    DaveSchmidt (View Comment):

    Percival (View Comment):

    Stina (View Comment):

    I’ve always hated Hanson’s Razor because if it is true, it stands in opposition to the meritocracy we claim to have. If only stupid people get raised to the highest offices and positions of the land, then there is no meritocracy. Otherwise, malice explains 90% of it.

    According to the Peter Principle, everyone is promoted to their level of incompetence, so the trick is to catch them before they’ve arrived.

    Has Mayor Pete peaked yet?

    Under leftists it is the Peter Principle+2. I think that means he has one more in him.

    • #35
  6. BDB Inactive
    BDB
    @BDB

    KCVolunteer (View Comment):

    DaveSchmidt (View Comment):

    Percival (View Comment):

    Stina (View Comment):

    I’ve always hated Hanson’s Razor because if it is true, it stands in opposition to the meritocracy we claim to have. If only stupid people get raised to the highest offices and positions of the land, then there is no meritocracy. Otherwise, malice explains 90% of it.

    According to the Peter Principle, everyone is promoted to their level of incompetence, so the trick is to catch them before they’ve arrived.

    Has Mayor Pete peaked yet?

    Under leftists it is the Peter Principle+2. I think that means he has one more in him.

    One more peter?

    • #36
  7. Nanocelt TheContrarian Member
    Nanocelt TheContrarian
    @NanoceltTheContrarian

    Joe Biden’s Sonnet to America

    What did everyone expect from the person who gave us “Borking?”

    • #37
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