Quote of the Day - Stupidity

Stupidity is a more dangerous enemy of the good than malice. 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 use of force accomplish anything here; reasons fall of deaf ears; facts that contradict one’s prejudgment simply need not be believed… For that reason, greater caution is called for when dealing with a stupid person than a malicious one. – Dietrich Bonhoeffer

The validity of this quote is being demonstrated by our current President and Vice-President. While both are superficially clever, both are profoundly stupid. Both are locked into their preconceptions, arrogant in their ignorance of anything outside their experience. Their experience, that of professional politicians, is necessarily limited. They understand bureaucracy, how to get their way legislatively, and how to game administrative systems. They know how to manipulate people and intellectual concepts.

They have no experience in running a for-profit business, making a payroll, or producing a tangible product. While they know how to manipulate intellectual concepts, they are ignorant of their structure and how to test them. They are unaware of physical realities — things like the laws of thermodynamics — which affect what is achievable. (A good example of this is shown by their near-religious belief that electric cars and solar and wind energy have a smaller environmental impact than internal-combustion engine vehicles and natural gas — and nuclear-generated power.)

Yet because they are stupid, they cannot concede the possibility that they might be lacking critical information. They lack self-awareness and the ability to check their conclusions against reality. They are right. They know they are right, and don't try confusing them with facts. Their reality is the true reality.

We can argue whether they are evil as well as stupid. I believe they likely are, but I also believe it is their stupidity rather than their evil that is the wrecking ball destroying Western Civilization. Bonhoeffer is correct. We must approach them with greater caution than we would with merely malicious individuals.