4 ms·

I dunno, I don't think it's very healthy that when presented with a bumbling idiot in a position of power you start to think it's a big ruse and they are actual

I dunno, I don't think it's very healthy that when presented with a bumbling idiot in a position of power you start to think it's a big ruse and they are actually a genius. It's best to just assume they are in fact, a bumbling idiot.

zaptheimpaler 7y ago
In general sure, but when that person happens to be leading a nation, I would not be so quick to jump to that conclusion.
- jancsika 7y ago
  We're talking about a former leader of a nation for which the body of evidence is in. What is the evidence that he was feigning ignorance on foreign policy, national security, etc.?
eschaton 7y ago
When there are actually samples of his speech before and after moving to Texas, and when he was Governor of Texas versus President of the United States, it kind of lends more credence to the claim.
- jancsika 7y ago
  There are two essential options: 1. W "knew stuff" and chose to present himself as a Texan 2. W "didn't know stuff" and chose to present himself as a Texan The second option is by far more likely. For one of many examples take the following clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdimK1onR4o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdimK1onR4o Is there any evidence at all that W actually knew what tribal sovereignty meant yet chose to completely bumble the answer here?
- Spooky23 7y ago
  He isn’t an idiot, but he was a extraordinarily weak president. He essentially allowed Cheney, who is in turn puppeteered by his wife, to act as a second president. IMO he is someone who could have developed into a good Senator, but unfortunately was the president at critical point in history.
- mehrdadn 7y ago
  Would you have links to share?
omeid2 7y ago
> It's best to just assume they are in fact, a bumbling idiot. That is intellectual laziness. Climbing the political ladder is no mean feat. Sure, serendipity plays a big role, you need to be in the right place at the right time but don't dismiss people's intelligence based on public speaking.
- monodeldiablo 7y ago
  He didn't "climb the political ladder". He was born on the top rung. His whole family are politicians, and his dad was president.
  - omeid2 7y ago
    No doubt that was a massive influence, but we all know every presidents' son is also a president, specially in USA.
m-i-l 7y ago
That's Occam's Razor. There are all these complex theories that people in positions of power who come across as idiots must in actual fact be master manipulative geniuses given they can so convincingly fake blithering idiocy and they can't possibly have got to where they are by being so clueless. But the simpler solution is that they are just idiots. Remember also that Eton has a reputation for drumming into boys on a daily basis that they are born to be future leaders and have to be confident of their superiority irrespective of competence or abilities. BTW, has anyone seen Being There? Edit: Maybe we need a corollary to Hanlon's razor - "Never attribute to genius that which is adequately explained by stupidity."

zaptheimpaler 7y ago

In general sure, but when that person happens to be leading a nation, I would not be so quick to jump to that conclusion.

jancsika 7y ago
We're talking about a former leader of a nation for which the body of evidence is in. What is the evidence that he was feigning ignorance on foreign policy, national security, etc.?

eschaton 7y ago

When there are actually samples of his speech before and after moving to Texas, and when he was Governor of Texas versus President of the United States, it kind of lends more credence to the claim.

jancsika 7y ago
There are two essential options: 1. W "knew stuff" and chose to present himself as a Texan 2. W "didn't know stuff" and chose to present himself as a Texan The second option is by far more likely. For one of many examples take the following clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdimK1onR4o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdimK1onR4o Is there any evidence at all that W actually knew what tribal sovereignty meant yet chose to completely bumble the answer here?
Spooky23 7y ago
He isn’t an idiot, but he was a extraordinarily weak president. He essentially allowed Cheney, who is in turn puppeteered by his wife, to act as a second president. IMO he is someone who could have developed into a good Senator, but unfortunately was the president at critical point in history.
mehrdadn 7y ago
Would you have links to share?

omeid2 7y ago

> It's best to just assume they are in fact, a bumbling idiot. That is intellectual laziness. Climbing the political ladder is no mean feat. Sure, serendipity plays a big role, you need to be in the right place at the right time but don't dismiss people's intelligence based on public speaking.

monodeldiablo 7y ago
He didn't "climb the political ladder". He was born on the top rung. His whole family are politicians, and his dad was president.
- omeid2 7y ago
  No doubt that was a massive influence, but we all know every presidents' son is also a president, specially in USA.

m-i-l 7y ago

That's Occam's Razor. There are all these complex theories that people in positions of power who come across as idiots must in actual fact be master manipulative geniuses given they can so convincingly fake blithering idiocy and they can't possibly have got to where they are by being so clueless. But the simpler solution is that they are just idiots. Remember also that Eton has a reputation for drumming into boys on a daily basis that they are born to be future leaders and have to be confident of their superiority irrespective of competence or abilities. BTW, has anyone seen Being There? Edit: Maybe we need a corollary to Hanlon's razor - "Never attribute to genius that which is adequately explained by stupidity."