Stupidity
stupidity
/stʃʊˈpɪdɪti,stʃuːˈpɪdɪti,stjʊˈpɪdɪti,stjuːˈpɪdɪti/
noun: stupidity; plural noun: stupidities
. behaviour that shows a lack of good sense or judgement.
. “I can’t believe my own stupidity”
Mans most common sin must be stupidity and it embodies itself in many forms. To hate one without reason, to love one without restrictions, to be passionate to the point of disregard. In essence, to find comfort in the blissful euphoria of our emotions, negative and positive. Some examples.
What is jealousy if not stupidity? The jealous man chooses to focus on another’s success instead of focusing on himself.
The angry man chooses anger over a sensible course of actions.
What is bravery if not glorified stupidity? A man goes to war even with knowledge that he can not possibly win and he is termed ‘brave’.
What is love if not celebrated stupidity? Man in his very essence is meant to be selfish. Selfishness is not an inherently negative attribute as it is only natural we want the best for our selves. That being said, love is a selfless act surely going against the act of selfishness. A parent loves a child so sacrifices his hard work and time for said child’s future. The man loves his wife so sacrifices his money for her comfort. The woman loves her husband so sacrifices her freedom to reassure him. Stupidity. I ask again, what is love if not glorified stupidity?
I come to the conclusion that human emotions find basis in stupidity. Not having any justifiable reason. But then we ask, what is life without emotions? what is life without moments of anger, love, hate, jealousy even. Surely our emotions are necessary. Surely stupidity is necessary. We can only hope not to give into its callings too eagerly for that is when we become hopeless.
If we agree on that (human emotions find basis in stupidity ) then we agree that stupidity is a necessary factor in what we term the human experience.
Even as I write on the topic I can call on a thousand situations when I too have found myself in the comfortable arms of stupidity. In the trap of conclusions drawn at a first glance. In moments when I’ve lost myself to the intoxication of my emotions.
When we look at human behaviour and we take into account situations when we have been victims of stupidity we tend to judge less. We look at decisions made in the heat of an emotional state and even though they are non excusable they are more understandable. We question our reactions and find our own unconscious bias.
The take away from this is the importance of not taking anything at face worth. Questioning your emotions until one reaches the point they are unable to question them anymore. I question my love and find infatuation. I question my hate and find fear. I question my anger and find insecurity. I question all of these but that never stops me from loving, hating or being angry but I question regardless.
Stupidity is needed to an excusable extent. But to the irredeemably stupid, to the ones who refuse the callings of reason even when it screams to them so eagerly. The ones who have questioned and find no basis in their actions apart from pride and ego but continue on their paths regardless. Those are the truly stupid.
