Book recommendations for Darren, wesw and lib

[MajGenl.Meade]

From ‘After Ten Years’ in Letters and Papers from Prison (Dietrich Bonhoeffer Works/English, vol. 8, Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2010).

One becomes stupid when they abdicate their will over to an ideology or collective; while they retain their intellect, their will to think independently, and to question their beliefs, is forfeited.

“This was taken from a circular letter, addressing many topics, written to three friends and co-workers in the conspiracy against Hitler, on the tenth anniversary of Hitler’s accession to the chancellorship of Germany.” ~Dr Cliff “DK” Kelly

‘Stupidity is a more dangerous enemy of the good than malice. One may protest against evil; it can be exposed and, if need be, prevented by use of force. Evil always carries within itself the germ of its own subversion in that it leaves behind in human beings at least a sense of unease. Against stupidity we are defenseless. Neither protests nor the use of force accomplish anything here; reasons fall on deaf ears; facts that contradict one’s prejudgment simply need not be believed- in such moments the stupid person even becomes critical – and when facts are irrefutable they are just pushed aside as inconsequential, as incidental. In all this the stupid person, in contrast to the malicious one, is utterly self-satisfied and, being easily irritated, becomes dangerous by going on the attack. For that reason, greater caution is called for than with a malicious one. Never again will we try to persuade the stupid person with reasons, for it is senseless and dangerous.

‘If we want to know how to get the better of stupidity, we must seek to understand its nature. This much is certain, that it is in essence not an intellectual defect but a human one. There are human beings who are of remarkably agile intellect yet stupid, and others who are intellectually quite dull yet anything but stupid. We discover this to our surprise in particular situations. The impression one gains is not so much that stupidity is a congenital defect, but that, under certain circumstances, people are made stupid or that they allow this to happen to them. We note further that people who have isolated themselves from others or who lives in solitude manifest this defect less frequently than individuals or groups of people inclined or condemned to sociability.

And so it would seem that stupidity is perhaps less a psychological than a sociological problem. It is a particular form of the impact of historical circumstances on human beings, a psychological concomitant of certain external conditions. Upon closer observation, it becomes apparent that every strong upsurge of power in the public sphere, be it of a political or of a religious nature, infects a large part of humankind with stupidity. It would even seem that this is virtually a sociological-psychological law. The power of the one needs the stupidity of the other. The process at work here is not that particular human capacities, for instance, the intellect, suddenly atrophy or fail. Instead, it seems that under the overwhelming impact of rising power, humans are deprived of their inner independence, and, more or less consciously, give up establishing an autonomous position toward the emerging circumstances.

The fact that the stupid person is often stubborn must not blind us to the fact that he is not independent. In conversation with him, one virtually feels that one is dealing not at all with a person, but with slogans, catchwords and the like that have taken possession of him. He is under a spell, blinded, misused, and abused in his very being. Having thus become a mindless tool, the stupid person will also be capable of any evil and at the same time incapable of seeing that it is evil. This is where the danger of diabolical misuse lurks, for it is this that can once and for all destroy human beings.

‘Yet at this very point it becomes quite clear that only an act of liberation, not instruction, can overcome stupidity. Here we must come to terms with the fact that in most cases a genuine internal liberation becomes possible only when external liberation has preceded it. Until then we must abandon all attempts to convince the stupid person. This state of affairs explains why in such circumstances our attempts to know what ‘the people’ really think are in vain and why, under these circumstances, this question is so irrelevant for the person who is thinking and acting responsibly. The word of the Bible that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom declares that the internal liberation of human beings to live the responsible life before God is the only genuine way to overcome stupidity.

‘But these thoughts about stupidity also offer consolation in that they utterly forbid us to consider the majority of people to be stupid in every circumstance. It really will depend on whether those in power expect more from people’s stupidity than from their inner independence and wisdom.’

[Gob]

"One becomes stupid when they abdicate their will over to an ideology or collective; while they retain their intellect, their will to think independently, and to question their beliefs, is forfeited."

Is that from the original, or is it your own? Either way... I'm having that!!

[MajGenl.Meade]

Not mine.

[Lord Jim]

The fact that the stupid person is often stubborn must not blind us to the fact that he is not independent. In conversation with him, one virtually feels that one is dealing not at all with a person, but with slogans, catchwords and the like that have taken possession of him. He is under a spell, blinded, misused, and abused in his very being.

The pity of this of course, is that those who could truly benefit from the wise insights in the OP will be too stupid to learn them...

[Darren]

From ‘After Ten Years’ in Letters and Papers from Prison (Dietrich Bonhoeffer Works/English, vol. 8, Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2010).


‘If we want to know how to get the better of stupidity, we must seek to understand its nature. This much is certain, that it is in essence not an intellectual defect but a human one. There are human beings who are of remarkably agile intellect yet stupid, and others who are intellectually quite dull yet anything but stupid. We discover this to our surprise in particular situations. The impression one gains is not so much that stupidity is a congenital defect, but that, under certain circumstances, people are made stupid or that they allow this to happen to them. We note further that people who have isolated themselves from others or who lives in solitude manifest this defect less frequently than individuals or groups of people inclined or condemned to sociability.

And so it would seem that stupidity is perhaps less a psychological than a sociological problem.

That's an excellent summation. That should make one inquire why that happens. I've recommended The Nature of Prejudice by Gordon Allport before. I read that in college but not as required course material. Engineers don't study the liberal arts.

It's not an easy read but it does provide a foundation for understanding human nature. Even with its clarity and expansive explanation it still doesn't explain all human nature.

In a nutshell we all belong to cults.

Root for a high school football team? You belong to a cult. Are you Muslim? You belong to a cult. That's the same for any religion BTW. Do you eschew Chevys for Fords? Yep. Another cult.

Do you get adamant on which way the toilet paper goes on the hoider/ Yep! While not an "official" cult with the regalia, it shows the stupidity of a belief or belief system at a very basic level. Why would you want to high five someone else when you agree over how toilet paper goes on a roll?

Once you understand the attractiveness of cults you can understand why you never challenge the core beliefs of the cult you aspire to.

I did that once upon questioning my sponsor to a cult and was told immediately to "Keep that to yourself!" In my independent reading I had found another cult with the same practices.

The one I briefly joined claimed to be unique. It wasn't. The sponsor later admitted a few in the leadership knew about the other organization but don't tell anyone else.

Make of that what you will. You can either disregard, criticize or engage in thoughtful discussion. I have a few other pearls to offer. None of which has fully explained the human condition to my satisfaction.

I'm still looking and considering.

Thanks for the book recommendation. The author found a pearl. Too bad he didn't follow the string to others.

[Darren]

"One becomes stupid when they abdicate their will over to an ideology or collective; while they retain their intellect, their will to think independently, and to question their beliefs, is forfeited."

Is that from the original, or is it your own? Either way... I'm having that!!

I like it with one substitution.

"One becomes prejudiced when they abdicate their will over to an ideology or collective; while they retain their intellect, their will to think independently, and to question their beliefs, is forfeited."

[RayThom]

Darren, this book's for you.

[MajGenl.Meade]

Ray... always the one who gets it

[Darren]

Ray... always the one who gets it

Tried, true and telling.