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The Fifth Basic Law states that « A stupid person is the most dangerous
type of person». The corollary of the Law is that «A stupid person is more dangerous than a bandit».

"And the country goes to Hell."

Fourth Basic Law: «Non-stupid people always underestimate the damaging power of stupid individuals. In particular non-stupid people constantly forget that at all times and places and under any circumstances to deal and/or associate with stupid people infallibly turns out to be a costly mistake».

Stupid people are dangerous and damaging because reasonable people find it difficult to imagine and understand unreasonable behaviour. Because the stupid person's actions do not conform to the rules of rationality, it follows that: a) one is generally caught by surprise by the attack; b) even when one becomes aware, one cannot organize a rational defence, because the attack itself lacks any rational structure.

The damaging potential of the stupid person depends on two major factors. First, on the genetic factor. Some individuals inherit exceptional doses of the gene of stupidity. The second factor is related to the position of power and consequence which he occupies in society. Within a democratic system, general elections are a most effective instrument to insure the steady maintenance of fraction "o" among the powerful.

While bandits are mostly scattered over an area, stupid people are heavily concentrated along one line. The majority are basically and unwaveringly stupid — in other words they perseveringly insist in causing harm and losses to other people without deriving any gain. There are however people who by their improbable actions not only cause damages but in addition hurt themselves. They are a sort of super-stupid.

#Law3 «A stupid person is a person who causes losses to another person or to a group of persons while himself deriving no gain and even possibly incurring losses».

Individuals are characterized by different degrees of propensity to socialize. There are individuals for whom any contact with other individuals is a painful necessity. At the other extreme of the spectrum there are individuals who absolutely cannot live by themselves and are even ready to spend time in the company of people whom they do not really like rather than to be alone.

Law2: «The probability that a certain person be stupid is independent of any other characteristic of that person». Stupid individuals are proportionally as numerous among men as among women.
"...whether you move in distinguished circles; lock yourself into a monastery or spend your life in the company of women, you always have to face the same percentage of stupid people — which will surpass your expectations. "

#Law1
No matter how high are one's estimates of human stupidity, one is repeatedly (...) startled by the fact that:

a) People whom one had once judged rational and intelligent turn out to be unashamedly stupid.
b) Day after day, with unceasing monotony, one is harassed in one's activities by stupid individuals who appear suddenly and unexpectedly
in the most inconvenient places and at the most improbable moments.

Es la mejor lectura del mes. Aprender historia con ese toque sutil de acidez es exquisito. Las leyes de la estupidez humana es otro ensayo que me ha dejado con ganas de más, y sin duda volveré a leer ambos al margen de seguir leyendo la obra de Cipolla. 100% recomendable!