"Mulyono complained that he was always the target of criticism.. Oh, the trials of being an ex-president! It seems Mulyono is now the designated punching bag, how the tables have turned! It wasn't so long ago that Jokowi could do no wrong, riding high on a wave of 'BuzzeRp' adoration and unwavering support. Every move was genius, every policy a stroke of brilliance. Even among his supporters, he was equated with Caliph Umar bin Khattab (radhiyallahu 'anhu) and was nominated to be the Secretary General of the UN. But that's just a figment of the imagination. Mulyono is indeed a walking disaster zone, and his legacy of chaos is perfectly encapsulated in the six pleas of the public unrest (PENTOL) which are police reform, energy for the people, raising the people's standard of living, paying lecturers', teachers', and civil servants' performance allowances, re-evaluate the free meals program, fight land mafias, and oust foolish officials. And now? The wheel has turned around, he's just the guy everyone blames, especially considering his manoeuvre that landed his son, Prince Beler, the VP spot. Speaking of Prince Beler, what a delightful addition he's been to the political landscape! Nothing says 'unity' like impromptu hair inspections at local schools, right? One might think that the son of a former president would know better than to engage in such petty displays of authority, but hey, who needs policy debates when you just can police schoolchildren's hairstyles?
Yes, poor Mulyono. Once the golden boy, now the scapegoat. But perhaps, just perhaps, he should reflect on the choices that led him here. Maybe then he wouldn't have to lament being the only target for criticism in the age of President Prabowo's unassailable strength.
Yes indeed, the President looking like a complete buffoon, fawning over Mulyono, making his people dizzy," Limbuk declared, and then she carried on. "Cipolla says that it is not difficult to understand how social, political, and institutional power enhances the damaging potential of a stupid person, but one still has to explain and understand what essentially it is that makes a stupid person dangerous to other people—in other words, what constitutes the power of stupidity. Essentially, stupid people are dangerous and damaging because reasonable people find it difficult to imagine and understand unreasonable behaviour.
The Fifth Basic Law states that 'a stupid person is the most dangerous type of person.' The corollary of the law is 'a stupid person is more dangerous than a bandit.'
Imagine a CEO who approves an unethical shortcut (e.g., ignoring safety standards). The stupidity harms consumers, the environment, and the company itself. Think of the Volkswagen emissions scandal, where tampering with software harmed trust and cost billions in damages—no one truly benefited.
Some influencers, desperate for attention, harm themselves and others. Examples include dangerous TikTok trends (e.g., eating Tide Pods, performing risky stunts) that lead to injuries and lawsuits—causing societal harm for no lasting benefit to anyone involved.
The Modern Bureaucracy:
Stupidity in bureaucracies is magnified. A single mindless policy, such as an automated system denying critical healthcare coverage because of a 'technical error,' harms countless people without benefiting anyone—even the organization implementing the policy.
Cipolla warned that stupidity grows exponentially when stupid people cooperate. Social media has turbocharged this phenomenon. For example, a single person shares false information ('Drink bleach to cure COVID'), which spreads like wildfire, influencing thousands and causing real harm to public health. Stupidity goes viral.
Intelligent people often underestimate how easily groups can amplify stupidity. For example, online forums where a conspiracy theory, like QAnon, flourishes. Individuals feed into each other’s delusions, creating a collective force far more dangerous than any one person.
Cipolla’s third and fifth laws explain humanity’s irrational destruction of the environment. For example, Clear-cutting forests harms ecosystems, accelerates climate change, and ultimately damages the industries that depend on these forests. Yet decisions to prioritize short-term gains persist.
Another example such as a person who tries to cut ahead in a long line at the airport, causing confusion and anger. They’re forced to go back to their place anyway. Nobody benefits—not even them.
Cipolla’s framework is hilariously applicable to modern life. Whether in politics, social media, or everyday annoyances, stupidity shows up in its full destructive force, confirming his insights with uncanny accuracy. By recognizing its symptoms and effects, we can try (emphasis on try) to mitigate the damage—but as Cipolla wittily notes, stupidity is an eternal force we must learn to navigate.
Cipolla humorously analyzes the dangers of stupidity, but his work also hints at ways society and individuals can navigate this unavoidable force. While Cipolla doesn’t explicitly lay out strategies, his laws and their implications provide insights into managing the chaos caused by stupidity. The following are practical strategies based on his framework. First, acknowledge the ubiquity of stupidity. So, always prepare for stupidity. Avoid being overly optimistic about people’s rationality in any setting—whether it’s work, politics, or everyday interactions. If you prepare for unexpected irrational behaviour, you’ll be less likely to be blindsided by it. For example, if organizing an event, assume someone will forget critical instructions and have backup plans in place. Create systems to minimize damage: Structure rules or processes to prevent individual stupidity from derailing entire projects.
Accept that stupidity is a constant in life—it’s like the weather. You can’t change it, but you can bring an umbrella.
Second, do not assume that Intelligence or Authority exempts someone from stupidity. The probability that a person is stupid is independent of any other characteristic. Focus on actions, not credentials. Evaluate behaviour, not titles. Avoid trusting someone’s judgment solely because of their rank, education, or expertise. Intelligent people can still act stupidly, and their mistakes often have outsized consequences. For example, just because a financial expert advises a risky investment doesn’t mean it’s a good idea. Question decisions, even from those in authority. Avoid over-reliance on leaders or experts. Empower teams and individuals to think critically instead of blindly following someone who might be acting irrationally. This decentralization minimizes the impact of any one person’s stupidity.
Always verify advice or decisions in your mindset, even from seemingly competent people—because no one is immune to stupidity.
Third, be wary of the unpredictable nature of stupid people. A stupid person causes harm to others while deriving no benefit for themselves. Minimize your exposure, and avoid engaging with known 'stupid actors'. If someone consistently makes irrational decisions, limit your dependence on them or distance yourself when possible. This might mean politely avoiding a chronically unreliable coworker for critical tasks and choosing not to argue with someone who thrives on pointless debates (e.g., online trolls).. Shield yourself from unnecessary risk. When dealing with a potentially stupid person, anticipate harm and plan accordingly. For example, if a reckless neighbour insists on starting a backyard bonfire near dry grass, stay far enough away to avoid getting burned. In your mindset, treat encounters with stupidity like dealing with wild animals—avoid provoking them and keep a safe distance.
Fourth, do not underestimate the damage stupid people can cause. Non-stupid people always underestimate the destructive potential of stupid people. So, take preventive measures. Assume stupidity will scale. Recognize that even small acts of stupidity can snowball into large problems when left unchecked. Act early to contain the damage. For example, if someone on your team makes repetitive errors in calculations, correct the issue before their mistakes multiply into larger problems affecting the entire project.
Stupidity amplifies when people act as a mob. Prevent collective irrationality by encouraging diverse perspectives to counter groupthink and taking a stand early when you see stupidity gaining traction in decision-making (e.g., a poorly thought-out policy or marketing idea).
In your mindset, never assume a small mistake or irrational act will remain harmless—it’s better to stop stupidity in its tracks than deal with the aftermath.
Fifth, recognize stupidity as the most dangerous force. A stupid person is the most dangerous person of all. So, prioritize containment in your strategy. Sometimes, it’s better to guide stupidity toward harmless outlets than fight it head-on. Let the chronically misinformed coworker work on a low-stakes part of the project rather than risk them ruining something critical. Avoid collaboration with stupidity, never depend on a stupid person for tasks that affect your success. Even if they seem harmless in the short term, their unpredictability makes them a long-term liability. In your mindset, when dealing with stupidity, think like a firefighter, focus on containment and minimizing collateral damage.
Sixth, combat the spread of stupidity in society. Stupidity thrives in environments where critical thinking and accountability are absent. On a larger scale, Cipolla’s laws suggest strategies for reducing stupidity’s societal impact. Education alone doesn’t eliminate stupidity, but it equips people with tools to recognize and resist it. Focus on teaching critical thinking, media literacy, and ethical reasoning rather than just memorizing facts.
Stupid people often cause harm because there are no immediate consequences for their actions. Instituting accountability measures (e.g., transparency in governance, consequences for reckless behaviour) discourages stupidity from running rampant.
Combat the spread of misinformation by promoting platforms and communities that value evidence-based discussions. Discourage echo chambers that amplify stupidity.
Stupid decisions often gain traction when there are no mechanisms to stop them. Whether in politics, organizations, or communities, checks and balances prevent stupidity from spreading unchecked.
Seventh, learn to laugh (and stay sane). Cipolla’s humour reminds us that stupidity is inevitable, so we might as well find ways to laugh about it. Coping with stupidity requires: Patience, accepting that not everyone will act rationally; Humour, finding the absurdity in stupidity can make its effects easier to handle; and Focus, concentrating your energy on things you can control, rather than wasting time on people or situations you can’t fix.
While Cipolla paints stupidity as a dangerous and universal force, his laws also inspire a kind of resilience. By recognizing stupidity’s patterns, planning for its effects, and minimizing your exposure, you can limit its harm—and maybe even protect society from its worst consequences," Limbuk concluded.
