Stupid people (bottom left), whose efforts are counterproductive to both their and others' interests.

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Carlo M. Cipolla

11

The Basic Laws of Human Stupidity

This explores the controversial subject of stupidity. Stupid people are seen as a group, more powerful by far than major organizations such as the Mafia and the industrial complex, which without regulations, leaders or manifesto nonetheless manages to operate to great effect and with incredible coordination. by Carlo M. Cipolla

Stupidity

People

Smart

Human behaviour

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Law #1 Always and inevitably everyone underestimates the number of stupid individuals in circulation.

Carlo M. Cipolla

Law #2 The probability that a certain person (will) be stupid is independent of any other characteristic of that person.

Carlo M. Cipolla

Law #3 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.

Carlo M. Cipolla

Law #4 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 always turns out to be a costly mistake.

Carlo M. Cipolla

Law #5 A stupid person is the most dangerous type of person.

Carlo M. Cipolla

A stupid person is more dangerous than a pillager.

Carlo M. Cipolla

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Two factors are important to consider when exploring human behaviour: Benefits and losses that an individual causes to: 1. him or herself and 2. to others.

Torsten Caspar

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Intelligent people (top right), who contribute to society and who leverage their contributions into reciprocal benefits.

Carlo M. Cipolla

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Helpless people (top left), who contribute to society but are taken advantage of by it (and especially by the "bandit" sector of it); note, however, that extreme altruists and pacifists may willingly and consciously (rather than helplessly) accept a place in this category for moral or ethical reasons.

Carlo M. Cipolla

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Bandits (bottom right), who pursue their own self-interest even when doing so poses a net detriment to societal welfare.

Carlo M. Cipolla

I think - I don't know, maybe it's nostalgia. But the choice, losing the choice to be able to use film is going to be - it's gone. It's going to be gone.

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You know, Lisa, for the longest time, did not sing.

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Remember What goes around comes around three times harder than before. Karma is a bitch and one day it will come for you.

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I established my bank in 1988.

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Calling a book 'young adult' is only important in that it can help get a book to the right reader. After that, it's a useless abstraction and should be discarded.

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This is not a new debate. Debates of voting methods have been going on for hundreds of years.

Borick

Me being the metal fan that I am, I like to listen to thrash metal to get me pumped - that kind of music will get your heart racing and ready for a crowd.

Christina Grimmie

Actors strive to be part of something like 'Twilight' and what 'Twilight' is, is unbelievable.

Kellan Lutz

You can't look at abstract art without thinking.

Patricia Cole

All the time I feel I must justify my existence.

Prince Charles

I have been told by people that I should not be seen clubbing with good-looking women, but I can't see why not. Why be a pop star otherwise?

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Dan Scanlon

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Christy Turlington

If you get down and quarell everyday, you're saying prayers to the devil, I say.

Bob Marley

I have a file of letters and bits of ephemera from friends who have died. I have had lots of friends who died of AIDS.

Rachel Maddow

Things we do regularly become buried with habits, and we lose the ability to extract their powers to inspire.

Sara Genn

Every time I've seen Sheryl Crow perform, it's like effortless perfection. She's so relaxed onstage, but she's really locked into the music and having fun. Vocally, I've always looked up to her.

Maren Morris

Living is dangerous. The important thing is to know the limits.

Andrea Bocelli

Angels shine from without because their spirits are lit from within by the light of God.

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A lot of my characters are anti-heroes that became heroes.

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To create a character who really interests you, try combining aspects of your favourite fictional character with a real person.

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And let us not forget the Social Security system. Recent studies show that undocumented workers sustain the Social Security system with a subsidy as much as $7 billion a year. Let me repeat that: $7 billion a year.

Luis Gutierrez

The problem is essentially that of communications to an army in action. After a rapid advance communications become disorganized, and there is a temporary halting until they are again in working order.

John Desmond Bernal