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Here are the key points of his theory:1
Story
As the world teeters on the brink of annihilation, Dietrich Bonhoeffer joins a deadly plot to assassinate Hitler, risking his faith and fate to save millions of Jews from genocide.. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German theologian and anti-Nazi dissident, developed a profound theory of "stupidity" in his reflections on society and human behavior, particularly in the context of totalitarianism. He wrote about this idea in his "Letters and Papers from Prison" during World War II. Bonhoeffer's theory of stupidity revolves around the concept that stupidity, unlike malice, is a more dangerous and pervasive societal issue. Stupidity as a Social Phenomenon Bonhoeffer viewed stupidity not as an inherent personal trait but as something that arises in certain social conditions.
They become intellectually passive, accepting simplistic or irrational ideas without questioning them2
According to him, when people come under the influence of mass movements, ideologies, or authoritarian systems, they often surrender their individual thought and critical reasoning. The Power of Influence One of his central observations is that people can become "stupid" when they are absorbed into a crowd or under the sway of an external power (like propaganda or dictatorship). This kind of stupidity is not a lack of intelligence but a lack of independent critical thinking. People become unable to reflect on their own actions and views because they align themselves with the dominant group's mindset.3. Danger of Stupidity Over Evil Bonhoeffer believed stupidity is more dangerous than malice because while evil can be confronted and resisted, stupidity is immune to reasoning or logical argument.
Moral and Ethical Consequences Bonhoeffer also tied stupidity to a lack of moral responsibility
The stupid person is unaware of their lack of understanding and often feels confident in their misguided beliefs. They are also more likely to become tools of evil, as they blindly follow harmful ideologies or leaders without realizing the consequences of their actions.4. Inability to Recognize Reality Stupid people, in Bonhoeffer's view, lose their capacity to recognize reality. Even when presented with clear evidence or facts that contradict their beliefs, they dismiss them or twist them to fit their prejudices. They are not easily corrected because they are convinced of their righteousness, which makes discussion or debate ineffective.5.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Against stupidity we have no defense
Those who become "stupid" in this social sense fail to see the harm their actions or beliefs can cause. Their refusal to engage in critical reflection leads them to passively allow or even support injustice, oppression, or cruelty, without understanding their complicity in it.6. Solution: Personal Responsibility and Courage According to Bonhoeffer, the only way to combat stupidity is through individual responsibility, courage, and a return to genuine critical thinking. He believed that personal transformation, rather than just intellectual engagement, was essential for people to break free from the mass conditioning that leads to stupidity.Bonhoeffer's theory of stupidity is a reflection on how people can be manipulated into a kind of intellectual paralysis by powerful forces, making them complicit in injustice without even realizing it. This concept continues to resonate today in discussions about authoritarianism, propaganda, and the loss of critical thought in society..
Reasoning is of no use
Neither protests nor force can touch it. Facts that contradict personal prejudices can simply be disbelieved -indeed, the fool can counter by criticizing them, and if they are undeniable, they can just be brushed aside as trivial exceptions.
