"Remember, when you are dead, you do not know you are dead. It is only painful for others. The same applies when you are stupid." - Ricky Gervais

Imagine a world where stupidity isn't a random occurrence but a predictable force governing human behaviour.

It sounds bizarre, right?

Well, that's precisely what Professor Carlo M. Cipolla, an Italian economic historian, dared to propose back in 1976.

He published an essay describing the fundamental laws of what he perceived as the greatest existential threat to humanity, namely stupidity.

Professor Cipolla proposed a classification system that categorises people based on their behaviour and impact on society. He defines all human behaviour based on the concept of win or lose.

Which of the four categories he describes below do you fall into?

1. Intelligent People

These individuals contribute positively to society by making choices that benefit themselves and others.

They are capable of rational decision-making and typically create value for themselves and those around them.

Intelligent people are essential for progress and societal advancement.

2. Helpless People

Helpless people may not possess a high level of intelligence, but they do not cause significant harm to others.

They may require assistance or guidance in certain situations, but they generally do not detract from the well-being of society.

Helpless individuals may benefit from support systems and education to improve their circumstances.

3. Bandits

Bandits are individuals who seek to benefit themselves at the expense of others. They engage in malicious or harmful behaviour intending to gain an advantage.

This category includes criminals, fraudsters, and others who exploit or harm society for personal gain.

Bandits threaten social order and often require measures of enforcement and deterrence to prevent their actions.

4. Stupid People

Stupid people are characterised by their propensity to cause harm or losses to others without deriving any benefit for themselves.

Unlike bandits who act with malicious intent, stupid individuals exhibit behaviour that is irrational, unpredictable, and often detrimental to society.

They may make poor decisions or engage in reckless actions that result in negative consequences for themselves and those around them.

According to Cipolla, stupidity is a significant factor in societal dysfunction and can have far-reaching impacts if left unchecked.

He describes five laws of stupidity as follows:

1. Law of Underestimation

Inevitably, most people underestimate the number of stupid individuals in society. No matter how many idiots you suspect you are surrounded by, you invariably underestimate the total.

This problem is compounded by the incorrect assumption that some people are intelligent because of factors such as the kind of job they have, their academic education, etc., which leads us to conclude that they can't possibly be stupid.

Just think about it.

We have all experienced moments when we've been astounded by someone's lack of common sense.

Examples are endless, from someone who insists on microwaving their metal cutlery to the driver who thinks the red light doesn't apply to them.

However, Cipolla suggests that, under this law, we tend to underestimate just how many of these individuals roam among us.

It's like a hidden army of cluelessness that is waiting to strike at the most inconvenient times.

2. Law of Independence

The probability that a person will behave stupidly is independent of any other characteristic of that person.

This law suggests that anyone, regardless of background or intelligence, can exhibit foolish behaviour.

Essentially, Cipolla says that stupidity is a constant variable in all populations. Every group you can imagine – nationality, education, income – has a fixed percentage of stupid people.

University professors can be stupid. Some presidents, for example, have been stupid.

Stupidity doesn't care if you're rich or poor, educated or not, kind-hearted or mean-spirited. It's an equal opportunity affliction.

3. Law of Losses

A stupid person causes losses to others while deriving no gain and possibly even incurring losses themselves.

Professor Cipolla calls this the golden law of stupidity.

Non-stupid people are indeed imperfect and inconsistent. It means that sometimes non-stupid people act intelligently, and sometimes they do stupid things.

But stupid people, in comparison, are consistent and act with unwavering idiocy at all times. Their actions don't benefit themselves or others.

For example, imagine a case where a driver is stupidly reckless and causes a multi-car accident due to their negligent behaviour on the road.

Not only does the driver suffer injuries and vehicle damage, but the other drivers and passengers involved also incur injuries, property damage, and potential loss of income due to missed work.

In this scenario, the stupid actions of the reckless driver leads to losses for himself and others, demonstrating the detrimental impact of stupidity on all parties involved.

4. Law of Underestimation of Damage

Non-stupid people always underestimate the power of stupid individuals to do damage and also forget that encountering them is a probable event in any circumstance.

This law warns against underestimating the potential harm caused by stupid actions.

Ever find yourself thinking, "Surely, they can't mess this up again"?

According to Cipolla, you're falling victim to this fourth law. Non-stupid people, bless their optimistic hearts, tend to underestimate just how much havoc a stupid person can wreak.

It's like expecting a toddler not to make a mess with a plate of spaghetti—sure, it's possible, but the odds are not in your favour.

5. Law of Dangerousness

A stupid person is the most dangerous type of person.

Why, you ask?

Because, unlike malicious individuals who act with intent, stupid people operate in a realm of unpredictability.

They're like loose cannons, capable of causing untold damage without realising it.

From inadvertently triggering international conflicts to causing financial meltdowns, the potential for chaos is endless in the hands of a stupid person.

Stupid people are also dangerous because reasonable people find it challenging to understand unreasonable behaviour.

For example, an intelligent person can understand the logic of a bandit.

Although malicious, the bandit's actions follow a pattern of rationality. The bandit wants an advantage for himself, and as he is not intelligent enough to find ways to get a benefit for himself or provide you with a benefit, he will seek a benefit for himself at your expense.

So the bandit is all bad, but he is rational, and if you're rational, you can predict it.

With a stupid person, all this is impossible. The stupid person will harass you for no apparent reason, without any advantage to themselves, and at the most improbable time and place.

You have no rational way of telling if, when, where, how and why they will attack you, which makes them dangerous.

These laws, proposed by Professor Carlo M. Cipolla, offer insights into the nature of human behaviour and the societal impacts of stupidity.

Unfortunately, we can't do anything for idiots. There is no defence against stupidity.

As Charles Bukowski says, "The problem with the world is that the intelligent people are full of doubts, while the stupid ones are full of confidence."

Until next time, may you avoid stupidity.

Dion Le Roux

Note: Professor Carlo M. Cipolla's "The Basic Laws of Human Stupidity" is an essay that was first published in 1976. The essay itself doesn't have a formal academic citation like a journal article but it is often cited in discussions about human behaviour, economics, and social psychology. You can find references to it in books, articles, and online discussions about stupidity and irrational behavior.