Understanding Stupidity: Inspired by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Stupidity is prevalent, and ignorance is no exception. Ignorance can be corrected through knowledge, but stupidity is a trait—one that’s hard to cure. Thinkers and researchers in the fields of sociology, politics, economics, psychiatry, and psychology have written extensively on this topic. Some focus on the causes, while others describe it as a phenomenon, and some aim to find solutions for eliminating it.
Most agree that stupidity is a primary driver of ignorance, and a healthy social order can act as a deterrent. Education, too, plays a vital role in mitigating the damage stupidity causes to society.
There are numerous books, academic journals, and online lectures that aim to provide knowledge, offering insights that help heal the harm done by ignorance.
I recall a song from the struggle era by the late Osman Abdulrahim. I think it goes, “Let’s eliminate philosophy and unite under one common shield,” or perhaps, “Let’s eliminate ignorance… ” I’m not entirely sure. Either way, I wish our intellectual elite would study philosophy more deeply.
I’m preparing a series on Stoic philosophy, and I ask for help from those who are familiar with the subject. For those unfamiliar, I encourage you to listen—but please don’t get angry.
Traditionally, if we dislike what someone says, we try to silence them with phrases like, “Don’t philosophize!” We tend to view philosophy as a collection of meaningless, empty words. But today’s episode is inspired by several sources, with Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s essay, The Theory of Stupidity, being a primary influence.
This brings me to a funny anecdote from my memory: In the 1980s, the witty Abdullah Mohammed Said (brother of martyr Mahmoud Chekini and veteran Idris Quraysh) visited Germany. Upon hearing the word Bahnhof (German for train station), he joked that German sounded like our native Eritrean Blin language. Abdullah, waiting at a Bahnhof, saw his friend arrive late and, in his usual humor, said, “You Bahnhof! Why are you this late?”
Perhaps the Germans should adopt some Eritrean words. Imagine, instead of saying, “why are you late,” you could say, “You Bhanhofai, why are you late!” And if someone is a fool and annoys you, simply exclaim, “What a Bhanhofai!”
Let’s dive into philosophy, beginning with Dietrich Bonhoeffer.
Bonhoeffer, a German Lutheran pastor, was born in 1906 and imprisoned in a Nazi concentration camp during World War II. He was executed at age 39 in 1945. Before modern sciences like physics, chemistry, and mathematics emerged, everything was categorized under the umbrella of social philosophy. The term “science” hadn’t even been coined yet. Today’s vast body of human knowledge is built upon philosophy—a tradition of asking questions, investigating nature, and rigorously searching for answers. Most of the progress we take for granted today came from philosophers’ curiosity.
Some may claim their assertions are “scientific truths,” but anything that can’t be measured or replicated in a laboratory isn’t science. It’s just a conviction made up in someone’s mind or simply parroting.
Take Galileo, for example. Einstein called him “the father of modern science.” Galileo proved that the Earth isn’t the center of the universe, but rather the sun is. For this discovery, he was condemned by the Church and spent his final years in house arrest—like the fate of Abune Antonios.
Philosophers like Ibn al-Haytham who studied light and optics paved the way for Newton’s discoveries. These philosophers were curious and relentless, seeking answers to life’s mysteries, never satisfied until their findings could be tested and replicated. They were critical thinkers who dug deeper rather than accepting simple answers.
Philosophers like them—who refrain from drawing conclusions without evidence—are not stupid. In contrast, those who see no need to prove their claims are the truly stupid.
What can societies plagued by stupidity do to reduce it and raise their collective intellectual capacity? How can we teach critical thinking to encourage people to apply it in their daily lives? Maybe Bonhoeffer, with his studies of stupidity in the harshest of environments, can help.
People must resist evil. It’s the duty of citizens to expose and defend themselves against it. Those with evil natures carry a multiplicative ignorance, and the consequences of their actions create insecurity in societies.
However, there’s no easy defense against stupidity. Confronting it with violence won’t work—they’re better at that. Instead, try education. But the challenge arises when those who need to learn are unwilling to listen. They seem to scream, “I want my stupidity! Leave me alone!” What can you do when your efforts fall on deaf ears?
It’s dangerous to accept the opinions of people who cling to their contradictory views as truths. Arguing with someone who denies undeniable facts is futile. Fools react emotionally without thinking, speaking without evidence, and cling to their beliefs. They’re hard to correct because they don’t want to change. They get angry easily and resort to attacks.
Therefore, more caution is needed when dealing with stupidity than with cunning. A cunning person can be satisfied with a reasonable argument, but convincing a fool is not just tiring—it’s meaningless and dangerous.
To overcome stupidity, we must understand the perspective of the fool. Their stupidity may not stem from a lack of intelligence but from a lack of wisdom.
Some fools may appear intellectually weak, but they might still be gifted in certain areas. Stupidity, it seems, is more a psychological problem than a social one. As the French physician, Philippe Pinel and Jean-Étienne Esquirol suggest, mental health can be influenced by external circumstances.
In the past, words like “idiot” and “retard” were used freely to describe those with presumably lower intelligence. Today, such terms are rightly avoided.
However, political fools frustrate me. A “common fool” is someone who knows nothing, is capable of nothing, and seeks nothing, but who can still be an accomplice in harming society.
Authorities, especially totalitarian regimes, often thrive by fostering stupidity among the masses. Power needs ignorance, so many people unknowingly support it, perpetuating anti-consciousness forces that maintain control.
Fools, unfortunately, are often victims themselves. They may not be free in their ignorance. They are the “useful idiots”—those who mindlessly repeat slogans they don’t understand, adding nothing of value.
Such mobs are a danger to society and a threat to its freedom. Worse, they often fail to realize the harm they cause, becoming tools in the hands of corrupt rulers.
In conclusion, remember that dealing with fools is like arguing with slogans. Stand in front of a billboard or banner and try to reason with it. It’s pointless.
The solution lies in spreading freedom and enlightenment. Only these can overcome stupidity. As both faith and philosophy teach, freedom is the beginning of wisdom. And only wisdom and knowledge can overcome harm and ignorance.
When most people are stupid, populism and mob mentality thrive—traits that dictators love because it’s in their interest to keep people from asking too many questions or investigating what they wish to remain hidden.
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