I. INTRODUCTION: THE EVOLUTION OF STUPIDITY
In earlier times, “stupid” meant lacking information or the ability to reason. A lack of education. A lack of exposure.
But in today’s hyper-connected world, stupidity has morphed. It’s no longer about not knowing.
It’s about knowing… and choosing not to care.
“The definition of stupid nowadays: Knowing the truth, seeing evidence of the truth, but still believing the lies.”
This isn’t ignorance.
This is moral failure.
This is psychological protectionism.
This is deliberate blindness.
II. THE PSYCHOLOGY OF PROTECTED LIES
A. Cognitive Immunity
Humans develop mental immune systems. When truth threatens identity, status, or comfort, the brain does what the body does when invaded: it attacks.
The truth becomes the virus.
The lie becomes the antibody.
The result? A delusional form of self-preservation.
B. Fear of Change
Believing the truth often comes with consequences:
- “If this is true, I must change.”
- “If this is true, then I’ve been wrong for a long time.”
- “If this is true, then the people I trust… have lied to me.”
So instead of accepting truth, people choose a less painful fiction.
They take the short-term relief of the lie over the long-term discomfort of truth.
That ain’t stupidity. That’s fear in disguise.
III. THE LIE AS COMFORT, COMMUNITY, CONTROL
A. Belonging vs. Being Right
Believing a lie might be irrational—but in a group, it can be rewarded.
- Belief in the lie becomes a badge of loyalty.
- The more obvious the truth, the more heroic it feels to deny it.
- People aren’t defending the lie—they’re defending their place in the tribe.
B. The Lie Offers Simplicity
The truth is messy.
It’s nuanced.
It requires thought, change, maybe even an apology.
But the lie? It’s quick. Clean. Convenient.
It offers blame. It gives you an enemy. It makes you feel in control.
So “stupid” today is often just a hunger for certainty in a chaotic world.
Even if that certainty is fake.
IV. THE DANGER OF DECAYING TRUTH
When lies become easier to digest than truth, society starts to rot:
- History gets rewritten.
We start calling oppression “heritage.” We erase injustice with revisionist pride. - Justice gets warped.
We start calling accountability a “witch hunt.” - Science gets rejected.
We believe influencers over experts. Memes over research. - Reality becomes negotiable.
“Alternative facts” become normal. Opinions get equal weight as evidence.
This kind of “stupid” ain’t passive.
It’s aggressive ignorance.
It knows better… and doesn’t care.
V. THE COST OF CHOOSING LIES
“The truth will set you free. But first, it’ll piss you off.” – Gloria Steinem
This kind of stupidity:
- Divides families
- Undermines democracy
- Delays justice
- Infects generations
When lies are easier to swallow than truth, freedom becomes fragile.
And we, as a society, stop evolving.
VI. REDEMPTION: IS IT POSSIBLE?
Yes. But not through more information.
People don’t need more data.
They need:
- Safety to admit they were wrong
- Spaces where truth isn’t weaponized, but welcomed
- Models of courage—folks who changed their minds and grew
Change doesn’t come from calling people stupid.
It comes from unpacking the fear behind the lie they cling to.
VII. CONCLUSION: TRUTH REQUIRES COURAGE
We don’t live in a time of darkness.
We live in a time of shadows—
where light is all around us,
but people choose to turn away.
The new stupid isn’t a lack of light…
It’s refusing to open your eyes.
So the next time someone chooses the lie, don’t ask them what they believe.
Ask them:
“What are you afraid will happen… if you believed the truth?”
That’s where the work begins.
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