STUPID IS AS STUPID DOES

The Five Laws of Stupidity, With Stupid Examples

Which one are you?

Unlike stupid people, pigs are very intelligent animals. Photo by me

When there aren’t many stupid people in your life, chances are you’re the stupid person. And so I find myself seeking out the stupid just so I don’t have to be the stupid one.

Like everything in the world of physics and data science, there are laws of stupidity. Five of them. Devised by Carlo M Cipolla, the Italian economic historian. In his 1976 essay, “Le leggi fondamentali della stupidità umana” — the fundamental laws of human stupidity. Sounds better in Italian.

Anyhoo…

Let’s explore!

Uno. “Always and inevitably, everyone underestimates the number of stupid individuals in circulation.”

You might have high expectations in life. But the extent of human stupidity will, without exception, exceed your expectations.

There are more fools out there than you’d think, and they crop up in more situations than you’d expect.

I once knew this guy who said that if some nasty virus was circulating, a nifty cure would be to inject yourself with disinfectant. Sounds like utter balderdash.

But tickle me…