Do you ever wonder why people ignore self-evident truths, even when the facts clearly support them? Or why political decisions are made that are obviously wrong and harm everyone? I believe so, because these questions are anything but uncommon, and most of us have asked ourselves exactly that at least once.
The reason for such questions lies in the fact that we encounter these phenomena daily, and they affect us all. But how does it even get to this point? And above all, what can we do to stop such developments?
One man who grappled deeply with these questions was Dietrich Bonhoeffer. He was a theologian, pastor, and resistance fighter in Nazi Germany, and he recognized that stupidity is not merely an intellectual issue, but above all, a moral and social one. In 1943, during the height of World War II, Bonhoeffer was arrested by the Nazis for being part of the resistance.
While in prison, he reflected on how such a situation could have come about in Germany. He asked himself how it was possible that the land of poets and thinkers had devolved into a society of cowards and criminals. What Bonhoeffer observed at the time was not an isolated occurrence.
The mechanisms he identified not only shaped his era, but are alarmingly present in our world today. When we look at the world today, we are struck by how relevant Bonhoeffer's insights remain. Fake news, conspiracy theories, and blind allegiance to populists—all of these phenomena demonstrate just how dangerous the combination of power and stupidity can be.
We are witnessing how disinformation is strategically employed to secure political power, divide societies, and suppress critical thinking. People ignore self-evident truths or allow themselves to be swayed by power structures and group dynamics just as they did in Bonhoeffer's time. His words, therefore, are not merely a profound warning but also a call to action for all of us to remain vigilant, take responsibility, and stand courageously against these developments.
For the stupidity Bonhoeffer described is not a relic of the past; it is a very real danger that threatens our future. But what exactly did Bonhoeffer mean when he referred to stupidity? During his reflections in prison, he developed a theory explaining how stupidity is cultivated within societies, why it is so dangerous, and why it is even harder to overcome than malice.
Moreover, he was not satisfied with merely answering these questions; he also sought to understand what could be done about stupidity. But first, how exactly does this theory of stupidity work, and why is it so central to understanding our world? For Bonhoeffer, stupidity was not a lack of intelligence or education; rather, he saw it as a kind of mental block that prevents people from thinking critically and acting independently.
This mental blockage becomes particularly dangerous in times of abuse of power and peer pressure, when individuals surrender their responsibility to authorities or the majority. Bonhoeffer also recognized that stupidity is not merely a personal issue but, above all, a social phenomenon influenced by external factors such as propaganda, fear, and ideology. Stupidity arises particularly where people abandon their capacity for critical reflection and independent thought, whether out of fear, convenience, or a desire for belonging.
These mechanisms paralyze the mind and make individuals more vulnerable to manipulation. What's more, stupidity is especially dangerous because it often operates subconsciously. People who act foolishly frequently believe they are in the right and defend their views all the more fervently.
This makes stupidity a force that is exceedingly difficult to combat. In his famous letters from prison, Bonhoeffer argued that stupidity was a more dangerous enemy of goodness than evil. While we can protest and fight against evil, we are virtually powerless against stupidity.
Neither protests nor the use of force have any effect; even reason proves futile because stupidity triumphs over it. Another critical aspect is that stupidity becomes particularly dangerous when combined with power. Bonhoeffer observed that individuals in groups or under the influence of authoritarian leaders become more susceptible to stupidity.
The crowd provides them with a sense of security while responsibility for their actions is transferred to the group or its leadership. This explains why people are willing to ignore self-evident truths and support disastrous decisions in authoritarian systems. Especially, stupidity is deliberately cultivated, as obedience and conformity ensure the preservation of power.
Bonhoeffer's reflections align closely with earlier philosophical views and studies, as ancient philosophers already observed that humans are inherently social beings, and it is precisely this sociability that forms the foundation of stupidity. Stupidity is, at its core, a group phenomenon. An individual may act foolishly without significantly affecting the whole, but when an entire group acts foolishly, it profoundly impacts individuals and amplifies the overall effect.
In addition, human nature has remained largely unchanged over the millennia; some internal processes of the human mind can even be traced back millions of years to the period when primitive brains first began to evolve. During this time, numerous heuristics emerged to help humans navigate their environment. Among these, the tendency to follow the herd is perhaps the most well-known.
As a result, many people believe that in situations where they lack sufficient information, the safest choice is to do what everyone else is doing. Unfortunately, this assumption is often flawed and does not always yield the best outcomes. In fact, herd behavior is one of the primary contributors to stupidity.
This phenomenon has been confirmed by numerous scientific studies. One groundbreaking and widely recognized experiment on social conformity was conducted by the social psychologist Solomon Asch in 1951. The Asch conformity experiment explored the extent to which individuals conformed to group opinions, even when those opinions were clearly incorrect.
The setup involved a group of participants seated together in a room, some of whom were secretly confederates working with the experimenter. The participants were asked to complete simple visual tasks. Such as comparing the lengths of lines, the Confederates intentionally gave incorrect answers to determine whether the actual participants would align themselves with the group's obviously false conclusions.
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This is where things become particularly fascinating, as the results were both startling and deeply revealing, offering insights into how stupidity takes root. The study found that approximately 75% of participants conformed to the group at least once, knowingly providing incorrect answers. This means that, on average, about a third of the participants conformed to the group even when the answer was obviously wrong.
This experiment perfectly illustrates the mechanisms that Bonhoeffer described. It shows that people not only conform to the majority but also often abandon their own opinions to avoid conflict and social rejection. Additionally, it demonstrates how peer pressure can paralyze the mind and suppress independent thinking, a central point in Bonhoeffer's theory of stupidity.
However, as briefly mentioned earlier, Bonhoeffer's theory was not just about explaining how stupidity arises; he also sought to explore what could be done to combat it. He concluded that stupidity cannot simply be overcome through education or reason; instead, he believed that profound changes are required, such as courage, a sense of responsibility, and the ability to think independently and critically. But how can this be achieved in today's world, filled with fake news, conspiracy theories, and manipulation?
And what can we do as individuals to fight stupidity? A first and essential step is to foster critical thinking, both in yourself and in those around you. This means questioning information before accepting or sharing it, seeking trustworthy sources, and verifying claims rather than adopting them uncritically.
The second key aspect is taking responsibility. Acknowledge that your actions or inactions have consequences. Avoid being driven by peer pressure or the majority's opinion, and instead, make deliberate decisions grounded in facts and values.
It takes courage to stand up for your beliefs, especially when they are unpopular; yet it is precisely this courage that is essential in combating stupidity and its harmful effects. The third critical aspect is independent thinking. Do not blindly trust authorities and resist being swayed by trends or majority opinions.
Only those who think independently can escape the grip of manipulation. Bonhoeffer understood that this is no easy task, but he firmly believed that each of us possesses the capacity to break the cycle of stupidity by finding the courage to think critically, take responsibility, and act independently. The ultimate question is: are you ready to show that courage?
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