Let's Discuss... Problem of stupidity

Everyone has experienced at least one person in the possession of power who is incompetently stupid. Have you ever wondered why? How can we make sure we reduce the damage stupid actions cause and empower wise action?

“The question that reasonable people often raise is how and why stupid people can reach positions of power and consequence. Class and caste were the social arrangements which favoured the steady supply of stupid people to positions of power in most societies of the pre-industrial world. Religion was another contributing factor. . .But in lieu of class and caste we have political parties and bureaucracy and in lieu of religion we have democracy. Within a democratic system, general elections are a most effective instrument to insure the steady maintenance [of the stupid] among the powerful.”
Carlo Cipolla, The Basic Laws of Human Stupidity

Why do smart people follow for stupid people?

Why do people double down on stupid beliefs in the face of contrary evidence?

How do the stupid reach such positions of power?

here is a video in this topic:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmEWjeFkQcI

*Please do your own research and share resources related to this topic in the comment section*

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Thank you for being a member. I have made a donation page for those who want to help with the costs.

https://examinedlife.uk/donation/

#======# Group chat

We have a telegram group chat and here is a link for the front door:

https://t.me/+o9T9DL5u6AcwMmRk

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The Examined Life, "Let's Discuss..." session is an open discussion.

The format of this event will be:

13:15 - Free flow group discussion about the topic.

14:00 ish - We will be splitting into smaller groups for more engaging discussion about what interests each of you.

16:00 - End of the official meetup. Most often attendees stay and continue discussing up to around 18:00.

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Please RSVP if you can commit to attending and change your RSVP if something comes up. Inaccurate RSVPs can keep potential attendees on the waiting list and makes it difficult to plan for room sizes and bookings.

Art work: The parable of the blind 1569 by Pieter Brueghel