Ignorance and Stupidity

Recently in my YouTube feed, a video regarding Dietrich Bonhoeffer's warning about the nature of stupidity appeared. Bonhoeffer was murdeded by the nazis towards the end of the second world war, likely under false pretenses but actually for espousing his beliefs.

YouTube; The Terrifying Theory of Stupidity | Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Warning to Humanity
Wikipedia: Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Confessing Church: Additional history about a Christian Protestant church in which Dietrich Bonhoeffer was involved.

This video got me thinking about the difference between ignorance and stupidity. In short, ignorance can be seen as a lack of knowledge or information, where stupidity as a lack of thinking skills. Either can be intentional and influenced by external forces.

An old adage states that "ignorance is bliss". In this context, ignorance may also refer to stupidity. People may be happier when they do not know or understand something, and therefore may choose not to know or understand that thing. This can make arguing with such people pointless and frustrating.

The m-w.com dictionary starts the definition of "ignorant" as follows:

destitute of knowledge or education; lacking knowledge or comprehension of the thing specified; resulting from or showing lack of knowledge or intelligence

The same dictionary defines "stupid" as:

slow of mind : obtuse; given to unintelligent decisions or acts : acting in an unintelligent or careless manner; lacking intelligence or reason : brutish; dulled in feeling or sensation : torpid; marked by or resulting from unreasoned thinking or acting : senseless

While it is unlikely to influence the reader, to respond to stupidity and ignorance on social media, you may paste the following summary of Bonhoeffer's thoughts on stupidity:

Please see Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Warning to Humanity regarding stupidity at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDZcB_vVRV4 :

Stupidity is more dangerous than evil.
Stupidity is a social phenomenon that arises when people surrender independent thinking.
This often results from group pressure and ideologies, specifically authoritarianism.
A stupid person repeats slogans and borrowed ideas (such as labels).
Stupidity is immune to evidence; stupid people react with anger or dismissal.
Stupid people believe that they are righteous, and are therefore more dangerous than deliberately evil people. Note: a sense of violated righteousness is often considered to be a root of anger.
Evil can be exposed, but one cannot argue with stupidity.
Stupidity grows when power concentrates.
Stupid people become passive, seek belonging, and avoid responsibility.
Reason doesn’t work against stupid people; debate reinforces divides and defenses.
The only remedy for stupidity is to restore independence, reduce fear, and encourage responsibility.
Societies fall not from evil’s strength but from stupidity’s compliance.

Bonhoeffer’s warning to humanity: protect environments that support critical thought.