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

13

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

Get

Explore more quotes

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

Facebook:1015260697259391432756 1gc9hds.gyww6u5wmi

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

Facebook:1015260697259391432756 1oofk90.y71rgj5rk9

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

Carlo M. Cipolla

Facebook:1015260697259391432756 1qvlkpx.ya4ydgqfr

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

Facebook:1015260697259391432756 1vrq0jx.bfrlw3766r

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

Carlo M. Cipolla

Facebook:1015260697259391432756 bmrwva.px8lqpk3xr

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

Carlo M. Cipolla

It is the nature of the strong heart, that like the palm tree it strives ever upwards when it is most burdened.

Philip Sidney

In order to reach home, where you have the guidance of cosmic insight, you must first depart from your present location. You cannot remain in the noisy city of your own vanities and expect to know what to do. Cosmic knowledge and personal vanity do not mingle.

Vernon Howard

Leadership consists of picking good men and helping them do their best.

Chester W. Nimitz

Actors use who they are to be someone else, but I would hate to ever think I'm playing myself. It's imagining being someone else that is the key motivating thing for me. So when people want to know about me, it makes me a bit unnerved.

Ralph Fiennes

If you're at the top, then brace for the fall.

Tori Kelly

I used to be a health-care investor a long time ago in the public markets. One thing I learned that we tried to apply here is that investing in small molecules, trying to invest in the next treatment, there's an element of gambling to that.

Bill Maris

Few of the many wise apothegms which have been uttered have prevented a single foolish action.

Thomas B. Macaulay

I'm pretty klutzy and I've always been, so I have to own up to it. It's part of my charm!

Erica Durance

The mere brute pleasure of reading - the sort of pleasure a cow must have in grazing.

Lord Chesterfield

Every happiness is a hostage to fortune.

Arthur Helps

I think that if you idealise someone for so long, they can only disappoint and I wouldn't want to be disappointed by those people.

Jane Horrocks

The best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them.

Ernest Hemingway

Well, the United States is a Pacific power. And we have always had a presence in the Pacific.

Leon Panetta

I used to get quite upset that I'd make friends with a guy or a girl and then within the space of three years we'd move and go and live somewhere else, and you'd have to say goodbye to that person.

Dominic Monaghan

Coughing in the theater is not a respiratory ailment. It is a criticism.

Alan Jay Lerner

There is never enough time to do everything, but there is always enough time to do the most important thing.

Brian Tracy

I adapt to things quickly, including good things, which I wish I could shut off sometimes.

Isaac Marion

In my business, if you look good, no one is going to be checking up on whether you work out. So it's up to me.

Josie Maran

You have one big mythology in your favor: Everyone believes that you Europeans are impeccable. But I know you are jerks.

Fernando Flores

Youth expects fun in the getting age reflects on the fun of having given

Milton Murray

We have to put in our time every day to try and achieve and learn so that we can develop our talents and each of you, thank goodness, have special talents; each of you are special persons.

Bruce Vento

This gives us more time to attend the inner need.

Satish Kumar

When I was fourteen years old, our family drove all the way from Vancouver to Newfoundland and back. I've been all across the great land of Canada. I absolutely love the Maritimes, and I'm very excited to go back, particularly in the fall when it's one of the most beautiful places on Earth.

Aaron Douglas

Most fruits if left alone on a tree eventually do ripen especially if theyre not being yelled at.

Firoozeh Dumas