This entry was published at least two years ago (originally posted on November 20, 2003). Since that time the information may have become outdated or my beliefs may have changed (in general, assume a more open and liberal current viewpoint). A fuller disclaimer is available.
The Basic Laws of Human Stupidity, by Carlo M. Cipolla:
- Always and inevitably everyone underestimates the number of stupid individuals in circulation.
- The probability that a certain person will be stupid is independent of any other characteristic of that person.
- 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.
- Non-stupid people always underestimate the damaging power of stupid individuals. In particular non-stupid people constantly forget that at all times and places and under any circumstances to deal and/or associate with stupid people always turns out to be a costly mistake.
- A stupid person is the most dangerous type of person.
- Corrolary: A stupid person is more dangerous than a bandit.
(via Jerry Kindall)
true! ive seen dangerous stupid people before and advise people to stay away from them.
Problem: these rules treat stupid people as if they were a class separate from a class of non-stupid people, when, in fact, most of us drift back and forth between the two. So the rules should include ways to determine which class a person is in at the moment.
Having said that, I have encountered people whom I have never seen to be anything other than stupid, while never the opposite, so perhaps the two classes should be: always stupid and sometimes stupid? When and if we are stupid, however, I think these rules do apply.
— The “Likes To hink He’s Only Sometimes Stupid” Prop
“a stupid person is the most dangerous type of person.Corrolary: A stupid person is more dangerous than a bandit.”
problem is we have an overabbundance of stupid bandits.
http://apj.us/WOWsuicidediplomacy.jpg