# [The 5 basic laws of human stupidity](https://bonpote.com/en/the-5-basic-laws-of-human-stupidity/) ## Law 1: Everyone always and inevitably underestimates the number of stupid people in circulation ## Law 2: The probability that a person is stupid is independent of any other characteristic of that person. ![[George Bush.png]] A stupid guy, accompanied by a bandit. ## Law 3. A stupid person is a person who causes losses to another person or group of people when he or she does not benefit and may even suffer losses. Cipolla called this the “Golden Law of Stupidity.” In his view, a stupid person is someone whose actions create problems for others—while bringing no real gain to themselves. Think of the uncle who can’t resist sharing fake news on Facebook: that’s stupid. Or the hotel receptionist who keeps you on hold for an hour, hangs up twice, and still botches your booking: that’s stupid squared. Alongside stupidity, Cipolla described three other types of people. First, the **intelligent**—their actions help both themselves and others. Next, the **bandit**, who profits by causing losses to others. And finally, the **abused**—those who end up helping others at their own expense. Cipolla mapped all four types on a simple graph, like the one below: ![[four types.png]] **How Often Do We See These Types?** People who aren’t stupid are a mixed bag—we’re inconsistent. Sometimes we act intelligently; other times we let ourselves be taken advantage of, or we act like selfish bandits. Our behavior shifts. Stupid people, by contrast, are models of [[Consistency]]. They operate with a steady, unwavering commitment to causing trouble. But that consistency is the *only* predictable thing about them. And that, Cipolla explains, is precisely what makes stupid people so dangerous. The core of the problem is that reasonable people struggle to imagine unreasonable behavior. An intelligent person can understand a bandit’s logic. A bandit acts on a pattern—a selfish, malicious rationality, but rationality nonetheless. The bandit wants a plus for themselves. If they can’t get it by also giving you a plus, they’ll get it by creating a minus for you. It’s malicious, but it’s logical. If you think logically, you can predict it. You can foresee their maneuvers and build your defenses accordingly. With a stupid person, this is completely impossible, as Cipolla’s third law makes clear. A stupid person will cause you harm for no reason, with no benefit to themselves, and with no coherent plan. They’ll strike at the most unexpected times and places. There is no rational way to predict if, when, where, or how they will attack. When you’re facing a stupid individual, you are completely at their mercy. This sobering analysis brings us directly to the fourth law: ## Law 4: Non-stupid people always underestimate the destructive power of stupid individuals. ## Law 5: A stupid person is the most dangerous type of person. **And so, the inescapable conclusion: a stupid person is more dangerous than a bandit.** There is nothing we can do to "fix" stupidity. The fate of a society—whether it collapses under the weight of its foolish citizens or rises above them—depends entirely on the makeup of its _non-stupid_population. Societies that progress despite stupidity have a high proportion of **intelligent people**. These individuals actively counterbalance the damage caused by the stupid by creating gains for both themselves and others. In contrast, declining societies don't necessarily have more stupid people. They share the same percentage. What they _do_ have is a high number of defenseless people and, as Cipolla put it, **"an alarming proliferation of bandits with a hint of stupidity."** There is no true defence against a stupid act. The only way for a society to avoid being crushed by its own idiots is for the capable to work even harder, constantly offsetting the losses the stupid inflict. If you consider the parallel to our environment—where some must tirelessly clean up the messes made by others—Cipolla's law feels not just insightful, but prophetic. `Concepts:` `Knowledge Base:`