This is stupid." "Look. You think how stupid people are…
““This is stupid." "Look. You think how stupid people are most of the time. Old men drink. Women at a village fair. Boys throwing stones at birds. Life. The foolishness and the vanity, the selfishness and the waste. The pettiness, the silliness. You think in war it must be different. Must be better. With death around the corner, men united against hardship, the cunning of the enemy, people must think harder, faster, be...better. Be heroic. Only it's just the same. In fact do you know, because of all that pressure, and worry, and fear, it's worse. There aren't many men who think clearest when the stakes are highest. So people are even stupider in war than the rest of the time. Thinking about how they'll dodge the blame, or grab the glory, or save their skins, rather than about what will actually work. There's no job that forgives stupidity more than soldiering. No job that encourages it more.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
War amplifies human folly, making people act even more selfishly and irrationally under pressure.
In simple terms: War makes people act even dumber.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and mitigate poor decisions in crisis.
Themes
war
human nature
folly
Mood
critical
somber
Type
philosophical
reflective
When to use this quote
- military leadership
- policy making
- team projects
- high‑stakes negotiations
Key Concepts
irrationality
self‑interest
stress
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you guard against selfish choices under pressure?
- What systems can reduce wartime stupidity?
A Different Perspective
Even in peace, similar biases persist.