During the darkest time in German history, incited mobs threw stones into the windows of innocent shop owners and women and children were cruelly humiliated. A young German Lutheran pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer began to publicly speak against the atrocities. After years of trying to change people's minds, Bonhoeffer was arrested and sent to prison. Here, Bonhoeffer reflected on how the poets and thinkers of his own country had turned into a collective of cowards, crooks and criminals. He finally concluded that the root of the problem was not malice, but stupidity.

Bonhoeffer proposes his theory

When conversing with a stupid person, you will notice that you are not dealing with him as a person but with slogans and catchwords that have blinded him. He is under a spell, misused, and abused in his being.  Having become a mindless tool, the stupid person is capable of any evil and incapable of seeing that it is evil. Only liberation, not instruction, can overcome stupidity. However, internal liberation is most often only possible if external liberation precedes it.

Liberation from stupidity

Action springs not from thought, but from a readiness for responsibility. The ultimate test of a moral society is the kind of world that it leaves to its children.

Bonhoeffer argued in his famous letters from prison that stupidity is more dangerous than malice because one may protest against evil, and it can be exposed and prevented by the use of force. But we are defenceless against stupidity. Protests or force can do nothing, and reasons fall on deaf ears. Facts that do not fit a stupid person's prejudgment are ignored or pushed aside as inconsequential or incidental.  However, being easily irritated, this stupid person becomes dangerous by attacking. Therefore, great caution is needed when dealing with a stupid person.

The theory of stupidity

To get the better of stupidity, we must try to understand its nature.  Stupidity is not an intellectual defect but a moral one. There are many intellectual people who are stupid and many intellectually dull people who are not stupid. Stupidity is not a congenital defect, but people are made stupid or allow this to happen to them.

How to get the better of stupidity

Individuals that are in groups manifest this defect of stupidity more often than people who live in solitude. Every strong upsurge of power infects people with stupidity. It seems that when there is a rise in power, humans are deprived of their inner independence and give up an autonomous position.

The stupid person is not independent

Dietrich Bonhoeffer argued that stupid people are more dangerous than evil ones. This is because while we can protest against or fight evil people, against stupid ones we are defenseless — reasons fall on dead ears. Bonhoeffer's famous text, which we slightly edited for this video, serves any free society as a warning of what can happen when certain people gain too much power. #stupidity #sprouts SUPPORT us to hear more about inspirational figures like Bonhoeffer. https://www.patreon.com/sprouts 🐦: DOWNLOAD video without ads and background music 🤫: https://sproutsschools.com/video-lessons/ SIGN UP to our mailing list and never miss a new video from us 🔔: http://eepurl.com/dNU4BQ SOURCES and teaching resources 🎓: https://sproutsschools.com/bonhoeffers-theory-of-stupidity/ VISIT our website www.sproutsschools.com THANKS to our patrons This video was made with the support of our Patrons: Adam G, Alejandro Canet, Andrea Basilio Rava, Badrah, Beth Roberts, Bettina Kind, Broke, Cedric Wang, Daniel Kramer, David Markham, Denis Kraus, Don Bone, Enrique Arellano Farias, Esther Chiang, Gatsby Dkdc, Ginger, Marq Short, Jeffrey Cassianna, Joanne Doyle, John Zhang, Judy RolandSergei Kukhariev, kritik bhimani, Mathis Nu, Muhammad Humayun, Nancy Bueffler, Raman Srivastava, Scripz, Si, Shao Xiang, Tetiana Gerasymova, Tsungren Yang, Vishruth Harithsa, and all the others.Thank you! To join them visit www.patreon.com/sprouts CHAPTERS 0:00 The Darkest Chapter 0:55 Letters from prison 4:29 About Bonhoeffer 5:19 Our Patrons 5:28 Subscribe and support COLLABORATORS Script based on the work of Dietrich Bonhoeffer Editor: Jonas Koblin Artist: Pascal Gaggelli Voice: Matt Abbott Coloring: Nalin Editing: Peera Lertsukittipongsa Production: Selina Bador Production Assistant: Bianka Proofreading: Susan DIG DEEPER Dietrich Bonhoeffer's Final Words - This Day in History Dietrich Bonhoeffer Quotes SOURCES Dietrich Bonhoeffer, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dietrich_Bonhoeffer Original Text http://southsidemessenger.com/bonhoeffer-on-stupidity-entire-quote/ Bonhoeffer Pastor, martyr, prophet, spy (Student edition) https://books.google.co.th/books?id=PRmMBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA170&lpg=PA170&dq=bonhoeffer+%22arrest%22&source=bl&ots=QPUYQtpnHn&sig=ACfU3U0_B2plpEAqox7NfoMhC4p4MD09FA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj43u-mrtHsAhUPfX0KHUY2BU0Q6AEwBXoECAMQAg#v=onepage&q=bonhoeffer%20%22arrest%22&f=false CLASSROOM EXERCISE How would you define Bonhoeffer's version of stupidity? Work together as a class to devise a definition. What qualities must someone possess, or lack, to be considered stupid as Bonhoeffer describes it. In what type of situation would someone display their stupidity? What can we do to avoid stupidity in today's society? Discuss with your class and let us know in the comments below what they think.

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Dietrich Bonhoeffer argued that stupid people are more dangerous than evil ones. This is because while we can protest against or fight evil people, against stupid ones we are defenseless — reasons fall on dead ears. Bonhoeffer's famous text, which we slightly edited for this video, serves any free society as a warning of what can happen when certain people gain too much power. #stupidity #sprouts

SUPPORT us to hear more about inspirational figures like Bonhoeffer. 
https://bit.ly/3xiypQ6 

DOWNLOAD video without ads and background music 🤫:
https://sproutsschools.com/video-lessons/

SIGN UP to our mailing list and never miss a new video from us 🔔:
http://eepurl.com/dNU4BQ 

SOURCES and teaching resources 🎓:
https://sproutsschools.com/bonhoeffers-theory-of-stupidity/

VISIT our website
https://www.sproutsschools.com

THANKS to our patrons 
This video was made with the support of our Patrons: Adam G, Alejandro Canet, Andrea Basilio Rava, Badrah, Beth Roberts, Bettina Kind, Broke, Cedric Wang, Daniel Kramer, David Markham, Denis Kraus, Don Bone, Enrique Arellano Farias, Esther Chiang, Gatsby Dkdc, Ginger, Marq Short,  Jeffrey Cassianna, Joanne Doyle, John Zhang, Judy RolandSergei Kukhariev, kritik bhimani, Mathis Nu, Muhammad Humayun, Nancy Bueffler, Raman Srivastava, Scripz, Si, Shao Xiang, Tetiana Gerasymova, Tsungren Yang, Vishruth Harithsa, and all the others.Thank you! To join them visit www.patreon.com/sprouts 


CHAPTERS
0:00 The Darkest Chapter
0:55 Letters from prison
4:29 About Bonhoeffer
5:19 Our Patrons
5:28 Subscribe and support

COLLABORATORS 
Script based on the work of Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Editor: Jonas Koblin
Artist: Pascal Gaggelli
Voice: Matt Abbott
Coloring: Nalin
Editing: Peera Lertsukittipongsa
Production: Selina Bador
Production Assistant: Bianka
Proofreading: Susan

DIG DEEPER
Dietrich Bonhoeffer's Final Words - This Day in History
Dietrich Bonhoeffer Quotes

SOURCES
Dietrich Bonhoeffer,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dietrich_Bonhoeffer

Original Text
http://southsidemessenger.com/bonhoeffer-on-stupidity-entire-quote/
 
Bonhoeffer Pastor, martyr, prophet, spy (Student edition)
https://books.google.co.th/books?id=PRmMBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA170&lpg=PA170&dq=bonhoeffer+%22arrest%22&source=bl&ots=QPUYQtpnHn&sig=ACfU3U0_B2plpEAqox7NfoMhC4p4MD09FA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj43u-mrtHsAhUPfX0KHUY2BU0Q6AEwBXoECAMQAg#v=onepage&q=bonhoeffer%20%22arrest%22&f=false 

CLASSROOM EXERCISE 
How would you define Bonhoeffer's version of stupidity? Work together as a class to devise a definition. What qualities must someone possess, or lack, to be considered stupid as Bonhoeffer describes it. In what type of situation would someone display their stupidity? What can we do to avoid stupidity in today's society? Discuss with your class and let us know in the comments below what they think.

We make educational videos  about psychology, pedagogy and child development. We publish them on Creative Commons so students, teachers and parents can to use for free. To download our videos go to www.sproutsschools.com. To support our work go to www.patreon.com/sprouts