6 ms·

Hanlon's Razor probably applies here. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanlon's_razor http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanlon's_razor

• mcguire 13y ago
  Stupidity and malice are frequently indistinguishable by an outside observer.
  • chaz 13y ago
    All the more reason to pause before ascribing malice as the motive.
    • mcguire 13y ago
      I don't know. Personally, I would rather be regarded as evil than stupid.
      • saraid216 13y ago
        And now you've justified evil for every stupid person in the world. Check it out: "Don't call me stupid; I'll punch you for that!"
  • alan_cx 13y ago
    Hmmmmmmm, perhaps, but I'd suggest that: Stupidity is negligence. Negligence is selfish. That makes it malicious. Its willful which ever way one chose to spin it. IMHO, such phrases are not much different to ones like "what do you have to hide?". They are designed to look like one thing, confuse and win a point, while hiding the fact that something appalling is going on. Its the language of confusion to control. Its too easy to be allowed to hide behind a false concept of stupidity. Too convenient.
    • andrewflnr 13y ago
      Stupidity is negligence. False, in general. If you want to assert someone is using stupidity as a cover, you need evidence. I don't believe that should be the default hypothesis.