Intelligent people are outnumbered by stupid individuals from "summary" of The Basic Laws of Human Stupidity by Carlo M. Cipolla
According to Cipolla, the world is made up of four types of individuals: intelligent people, helpless people, bandits, and stupid people. Intelligent people are those who contribute to society and benefit others as well as themselves. Helpless people, while not particularly productive, do not cause harm to others. Bandits are those who benefit themselves at the expense of others. The most dangerous group, however, is the stupid people. They are the individuals who cause harm to others while deriving no benefit for themselves. The problem is that stupid individuals are not easily identifiable, as they can be found in all walks of life. What makes the situation even more dire is the fact that intelligent people are greatly outnumbered by stupid individuals. This imbalance in numbers means that the actions of stupid people can have a significant impact on society as a whole. Stupid people are not necessarily unintelligent; rather, they lack the ability to foresee the consequences of their actions. They are guided by self-interest and do not consider how their actions may affect others. This lack of consideration for others is what sets them apart from the other groups identified by Cipolla.- The concept that intelligent people are outnumbered by stupid individuals highlights the challenges that society faces in dealing with the negative impact of those who act out of ignorance and self-interest. It serves as a cautionary tale about the importance of critical thinking and consideration for others in a world where the actions of a few can have far-reaching consequences.
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