There’s only one stupidity — albeit it has MANY FACES

As we navigate this world we attempt to eradicate ignorance and cherish objectivity and wisdom

 

There’s our ignorance and there’s ignorance of others,

It’s the same ignorance, the same stupidity, but from our limited, day-to-day perspective, it often appears different

 

I came up with concept of direct and indirect stupidity, to better map stupid behaviours of others and myself

 

Direct stupidity is simple. It’s you being stupid short-term, right now: because you refused to think, had a headache, are sloppy, etc.

It’s the kind of stupidity we immediately call “stupid”

It’s the kind of stupidity that is nevertheless very common, as it can sit comfortably in our habits

 

Indirect stupidity is everything less obvious, everything more complex, everything more long-term.

It’s the kind of stupidity we are born with and die with, almost all of us.

It’s the stupidity of your life decisions and stupidity of your long-term plans and stupidity of your ideas and ideologies and great philosophies

It’s the stupidity which is never so immediately obvious, yet it’s there.

And it’s opposite — wisdom — is neither so obvious.

Whereas the opposite of Direct Stupidity — Intelligence — is quite apparent.

 

It’s important to distinguish between the two when considering behaviour and wisdom and intelligence of others — as well as thyself.

Your intelligence can betray you, lull you into confidence about your life choices — and you will waste that life.

Someone’s apparent sloppiness can make you disregard their deeper talents.

Someone’s worldly successes can make you overrate their intelligence, or their day-to-day practices.

 

Micro does not easily scale to the macro.

Ideally it would — and your intelligence would permeate your entire life.

But in practice it often doesn’t work like that.

Focus on each problems separately.

Judge each action separately (as well as within the larger context)

It will help you be intelligent about the subject of intelligence

And less stupid about the subject of stupidity

And less stupid in the first place