Obstinacy and vehemency in opinion are the surest proofs of stupidity.
—Bernard Barton (1784–1849) English Quaker Poet, Writer
A wise man makes his own decisions, an ignorant man follows the public opinion.
—Chinese Proverb
Success in almost any field depends more on energy and drive than it does on intelligence. This explains why we have so many stupid leaders.
—Sloan Wilson (1920–2003) American Novelist, Writer
The only thing that ever consoles man for the stupid things he does is the praise he always gives himself for doing them.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
Against stupidity; God Himself is helpless.
—Yiddish Proverb
The fundamental cause of the trouble is that in the modem world the stupid are cocksure while the intelligent are full of doubt.
—Bertrand A. Russell (1872–1970) British Philosopher, Mathematician, Social Critic
The hardest thing to cope with is not selfishness or vanity or deceitfulness, but sheer stupidity.
—Eric Hoffer (1902–83) American Philosopher, Author
A good man can be stupid and still be good. But a bad man must have brains.
—Maxim Gorky (1868–1936) Russian Writer, Dramatist, Political Activist, Novelist
Tell a man something is bad, and he’s not at all sure he wants to give it up. Describe it as stupid, and he knows it’s the better part of caution to listen.
—David Seabury (1885–1960) American Psychologist
There is more stupidity than hydrogen in the universe, and it has a longer shelf life.
—Frank Zappa (1940–93) American Rock Guitarist, Singer, Composer
It is much easier for good to deal with evil than it is for good to deal with stupidity.
—Unknown
It is only the wisest and the stupidest that cannot change.
—Confucius (551–479 BCE) Chinese Philosopher
Man is the inventor of stupidity.
—Remy de Gourmont (1858–1915) French Critic, Novelist
To accuse another of having weak kidneys, lungs, or heart, is not a crime; on the contrary, saying he has a weak brain is a crime. To be considered stupid and to be told so is more painful than being called gluttonous, mendacious, violent, lascivious, lazy, cowardly: every weakness, every vice, has found its defenders, its rhetoric, its ennoblement and exaltation, but stupidity hasn’t.
—Primo Levi (1919–87) Italian Novelist, Poet, Chemist
In view of the fact that God limited the intelligence of man, it seems unfair that He did not also limit his stupidity.
—Konrad Adenauer (1876–1967) German Statesman
To be stupid, and selfish, and to have good health are the three requirements for happiness; though if stupidity is lacking, the others are useless.
—Gustave Flaubert (1821–80) French Novelist, Playwright, Short Story Writer
The key to the age may be this, or that, or the other, as the young orators describe; the key to all ages is—Imbecility; imbecility in the vast majority of men, at all times, and, even in heroes, in all but certain eminent moments; victims of gravity, custom, and fear.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Stupidity is a force unto itself.
—Latin Proverb
The greatest of all sins is stupidity.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
Strange as it may seem, no amount of learning can cure stupidity, and formal education positively fortifies it.
—Stephen Vizinczey (1933–2021) Hungarian-Canadian Writer
The only way to comprehend what mathematicians mean by Infinity is to contemplate the extent of human stupidity.
—Voltaire (1694–1778) French Philosopher, Author
It is dangerous to be sincere unless you are also stupid.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
You can never underestimate the stupidity of the general public.
—Scott Adams (b.1957) American Cartoonist
The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits.
—Unknown
The wise understand by themselves; fools follow the reports of others.
—Tibetan Proverb
Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe.
—Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born Physicist
There is no stupid work, there are only stupid people.
—French Proverb
Stupidity is the deliberate cultivation of ignorance.
—William Gaddis (1922–98) American Novelist
Men are born ignorant, not stupid. They are made stupid by education.
—Bertrand A. Russell (1872–1970) British Philosopher, Mathematician, Social Critic
Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.
—Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929–68) American Civil Rights Leader, Clergyman
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