Aug 9, 2025 07:12 PM
https://www.acsh.org/news/2025/08/08/stu...uide-49663
EXCERPTS: We spend so much time talking about intelligence, pondering what makes someone smart. But what about the other side of that coin? Especially in an Internet-driven world, it is worth taking a few moments to consider “stupidity,” the disease that afflicts others, but not us.
[...] Leslie argues that in its simplest form, stupidity can be likened to a malfunctioning computer. Pure stupidity is the equivalent of defective hardware. Not “defective” in a biological sense or even in the sense of neurodiversity, rather, the mental processor is incapable of reliably identifying patterns or following logical arguments. It’s as though the motherboard came off the line without a graphics card—no amount of software updates can compensate for missing circuitry.
[...] With ignorant stupidity, the processor hums with potential; there’s nothing wrong with the machine, but the hard drive is nearly empty, reflecting an education gap, where individuals were never given or found the foundational scaffolding of knowledge required to build understanding...
[...] The third stupidity is characterized by Nobel Disease, where the expert or genius steps out of their lane, making bad choices because they assume their genius is a universal passport, failing to see that they've walked onto a different playing field with entirely different rules....
[...] Overthinking stupidity illustrates how competent individuals can become less effective precisely because of their advanced cognitive abilities. They overanalyze, searching for the intricate when the simple may suffice....
[...] rule-based stupidity, when we are trapped by already established systems, tools, and rigid ways of thinking – too much thinking “inside” the box.
[...] The final, and most challenging category, rests in our all too human “nature.” When people feel insecure or anxious, they find comfort in their “social group,” leading them to signal loyalty, like a wristband guaranteeing entrance to an exclusive party. ... It’s not necessarily about agreeing with the message; it’s about staying in the club... (MORE - missing details
EXCERPTS: We spend so much time talking about intelligence, pondering what makes someone smart. But what about the other side of that coin? Especially in an Internet-driven world, it is worth taking a few moments to consider “stupidity,” the disease that afflicts others, but not us.
[...] Leslie argues that in its simplest form, stupidity can be likened to a malfunctioning computer. Pure stupidity is the equivalent of defective hardware. Not “defective” in a biological sense or even in the sense of neurodiversity, rather, the mental processor is incapable of reliably identifying patterns or following logical arguments. It’s as though the motherboard came off the line without a graphics card—no amount of software updates can compensate for missing circuitry.
[...] With ignorant stupidity, the processor hums with potential; there’s nothing wrong with the machine, but the hard drive is nearly empty, reflecting an education gap, where individuals were never given or found the foundational scaffolding of knowledge required to build understanding...
[...] The third stupidity is characterized by Nobel Disease, where the expert or genius steps out of their lane, making bad choices because they assume their genius is a universal passport, failing to see that they've walked onto a different playing field with entirely different rules....
[...] Overthinking stupidity illustrates how competent individuals can become less effective precisely because of their advanced cognitive abilities. They overanalyze, searching for the intricate when the simple may suffice....
[...] rule-based stupidity, when we are trapped by already established systems, tools, and rigid ways of thinking – too much thinking “inside” the box.
[...] The final, and most challenging category, rests in our all too human “nature.” When people feel insecure or anxious, they find comfort in their “social group,” leading them to signal loyalty, like a wristband guaranteeing entrance to an exclusive party. ... It’s not necessarily about agreeing with the message; it’s about staying in the club... (MORE - missing details
