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Horst Lehrheuer's avatar

Thank you Ms Hudson for sharing your views on this. Unfortunately I only learned about it today when I did some research online.

To be brief: It seems to me, at first glance, that the term 'willful ignorance' is a good substitute for the term 'stupidity.' For example - as you wrote:

"Bonhoeffer writes:

Against stupidity [willful ignorance] we have no defense. Neither protests nor force can touch it. Reasoning is of no use. Facts that contradict personal prejudices can simply be disbelieved—indeed, the fool [willful ignorant] can counter by criticizing them, and if they are undeniable, they can just be pushed aside as trivial exceptions. So the fool [willful ignorant], as distinct from the scoundrel, is completely self-satisfied. In fact, they can [very] easily become dangerous, as it does not take much to make them aggressive. For that reason, greater caution is called for than with a malicious one. Never again will we try to persuade the stupid [willfully ignorant] person with reasons, for it is senseless and dangerous." (Brackets and strikethroughs added)

Some of the reasons why I think this way you can find in the article on my website https://freedperception.com/detail-page/are-the-people-who-voted-for-trump-dumb-stupid-or-vacuous - The article is 'A Critical Approach to Answering that Question.'

All the best - Horst Lehrheuer

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Almut | The Weary Pilgrim's avatar

Thank you for bringing Bonhoeffer's writings into view. I have read this as a child growing up behind the Berlin Wall and much later, trying to make sense out of living through these last years in the US. I always found it important that "Dummheit" (stupidity) does not correlate with intellect but is a moral shortcoming. I found some interesting paralleles in the psychological research on opinion making and attitude change. The more ones opinion is thought through and intellectually sound the more it is also open for change if new information enters the horizon. Less so with opinions which are held my emotional rather intellectual reason. Though their depth is shallow they are the strongest and thus the hardest to challenge and change. Great article. thank you!

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