My observation is similar but differs in a substantial way: it seems to actually take a lot of intelligence to accomplish the more shocking kinds of stupidity.

My observation is similar but differs in a substantial way: it seems to actually take a lot of intelligence to accomplish the more shocking kinds of stupidity. Somehow there is an intelligent process but it gets perverted and turned into evil as a reaction rather than an intentional outcome. Somehow these persons have lost control of their own intelligence and have become victims of the same. Lots of the effects seem to be summed up as "ego", but that is far from a coherent explanation. It's fear, pride, impatience... Those words seems to guard the gates of hell.