The Vitality of Stupidity: Is Stupidity Really an Advantage these Days?

chillibreeze writer — Abhinav Mathur

“The brotherhood of dunces has planted itself firmly in a pragmatic world that undermines the fragile nobility of intelligence” (Ronell 2002, 18).

The focus within organizations on wisdom, knowledge management and organizational excellence can be debated to be incomplete as it ignores stupidity. It is often assumed that an increase in wisdom implies a decrease in stupidity. This statement overlooks the fact that stupidity and wisdom share a deeply paradoxical relationship, one which has been studied by philosophers at least since the Stoics.

In today’s knowledge-intensive world, professionalism and sagacity are expected from all workers. Yet, the common worker arduously undertakes several unproductive tasks and trivialities which make no contribution whatsoever to the organization. The intelligent person is the perennial doubter, whose repertoire of knowledge makes him overly analytical and less prone to action. It seems that practicality demands one not to be too intelligent, an inherent paradox which alludes that practice always implies mediocrity. As the famous political scientist Anthony Dexter stated
“Because intellectual excellence is required of atomic physicists or for students of sociologists is no reason to require intellectual prowess from people in most occupations and activities.”
There are domains where stupidity is more welcome, a queer contradiction in today’s world of smartness, acuity and excellence. Certain organizations have been known to discourage intelligence (a famous oil company once announced to its workforce – No Virtuosos Here!). The truth is that Work makes people stupid, depriving them of essential non-productive and leisure activities. It becomes ethically necessary for them to rigorously find a way to affirm nonworking, to subsidize rest, laziness, and lolling around.

Nations spend millions to protect themselves against threats of disease & terrorism, but refrain from extending their hands to the real threats of pollution and traffic. Business entities focus on short-term client needs and miss their strategic directives, but still pride themselves on organizational excellence, innovation and smartness. It is passively assumed that wisdom arises when stupidity disappears, that by an analysis of ‘business blunders’, launching training programmes and exercises, ignorance can be ascertained and eliminated from the organizations. Several political scientists, however, suggest a much more complicated picture – a deeper relationship between wisdom and stupidity.

As Bob Herbert wrote in the New York Times, living in “a nation of nitwits” is what is probably good enough for most of us. Stupidity and happiness have a profound relationship. Happiness attained by appealing to reason (logos) is distinct from a spontaneous and instinctive kind of happiness. The latter can be termed irrational, unreasonable, or in other words stupid, but it nevertheless exists. Human reason accommodates such irrational feelings (‘stupidity resides in the structure of thinking as such’ (Deleuze, 1968, 191))

Stupidity and wisdom thus cannot be treated as opposing entities. Prodigies in mathematics and sciences may be perceived as stupid in societies unable to fathom their wisdom. Business ethicists dedicated to CSR activities blissfully undertake responsibility, insensibly accept criticism and offer unconditional help. Thus a battle against stupidity in the name of professionalism, intelligence and management, may not necessarily be wise. Organizations striving to combat stupidity may face an entwined combination of wisdom and stupidity, indistinguishable at times and fiercely resolute. It is in their interest to understand rather than to eliminate stupidity. Organizing and managing against stupidity might end up as stupidity itself, a thought that ought to permeate the intelligent world of management.

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—About our writer: Abhinav says, "I am a Computer Engineer from MNIT Jaipur, and a pass-out of DPS, Noida. I am currently pursuing Marketing & Strategy Discipline and am a member of Manfest, the International Business Conclave of IIM Lucknow. Furthermore, I was amongst the top 20 students of IIM Lucknow who were nominated for the prestigious Aditya Birla & OP Jindal EMS scholarships. I have a deep interest in medieval and modern history, a strong proclivity towards modern scientific theories along-with a long standing involvement with different arts (music, dance, sports etc.). Currently, I have developed strong inclinations towards management theories, especially in the field of strategic competitiveness, marketing & organizational behaviour. I love speculating and debating on intriguing & unusual social theories."

 

 

 

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