--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One should never underestimate the role…" description: "\"“One should never underestimate the role of stupidity in history”\" — Ervand Abrahamian" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/512/ervand-abrahamian-54154_history_one-should-never-underestimate-the-role_1361464.jpg" --- # One should never underestimate the role of stupidity in… ![“One should never underestimate the role of stupidity in history” quote by Ervand Abrahamian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/512/ervand-abrahamian-54154_history_one-should-never-underestimate-the-role_1361464.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/512/ervand-abrahamian-54154_history_one-should-never-underestimate-the-role_1361464.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/512/ervand-abrahamian-54154_history_one-should-never-underestimate-the-role_1361464.jpg) > ““One should never underestimate the role of stupidity in history”” [Ervand Abrahamian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ervand-abrahamian/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Stupidity can shape events as much as intelligence, influencing historical outcomes. **In simple terms:** Stupidity influences history. Key Takeaway Recognize and mitigate foolishness. Themes history human error politics Mood critical analytical Type historical philosophical When to use this quote - policy making - education - media analysis - leadership decisions Key Concepts cognitive bias irrationality Questions to Reflect On - How does ignorance affect decision‑making? - What safeguards reduce foolish actions? A Different Perspective Stupidity is often a symptom, not a cause. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Role Stupidity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/role-stupidity-4660927/) [Stupidity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stupidity/) [Stupidity History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stupidity-history-737781/) [Underestimate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/underestimate/) [Underestimate Role](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/underestimate-role-270712/) ## Related quotes > [“Do not underestimate the role you may play in clearing the obstacles in someone’s spiritual journey.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-mcdowell/do-not-underestimate-the-role-you-may-play-in-clearing-the-obstacles/) [Josh McDowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-mcdowell/) > [Pain is beyond reason, an obliterating giant stupidity to which all your history of jokes and nuance and ideas and caresses is nothing, simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-duncan/pain-is-beyond-reason-an-obliterating-giant-stupidity-to-which-all/) [Glen Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-duncan/) > [Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity. Never underestimate the power of human stupidity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/never-attribute-to-malice-that-which-can-be-adequately-explained-by-2/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Never underestimate human stupidity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pittacus-lore/never-underestimate-human-stupidity/) [Pittacus Lore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pittacus-lore/) > [Never underestimate the power of human stupidity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/never-underestimate-the-power-of-human-stupidity/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [People always make this totally artificial distinction between what is commercial and what is good. They quote that maxim "Nobody ever lost money underestimating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/people-always-make-this-totally-artificial-distinction-between-what/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [But we must not underestimate the potency of the mathematical process of abstraction. A surprising variety of things happen to have both magnitude and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banesh-hoffmann/but-we-must-not-underestimate-the-potency-of-the-mathematical-process/) [Banesh Hoffmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banesh-hoffmann/) > [“Never underestimate your own capacity to care. “I”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-strauss/never-underestimate-your-own-capacity-to-care-i/) [Neil Strauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-strauss/) > [Don't underestimate the power of your vision to change the world. Whether that world is your office, your community, an industry or a global…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-hood/don-t-underestimate-the-power-of-your-vision-to-change-the-world/) [Leroy Hood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-hood/) > [I do not underestimate the difficulty of the challenge that global climate change presents to us. It will take a significant effort and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/federico-pena/i-do-not-underestimate-the-difficulty-of-the-challenge-that-global/) [Federico Pena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/federico-pena/) > [Never underestimate a man's ability to make you feel guilty for his mistakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rihanna/never-underestimate-a-man-s-ability-to-make-you-feel-guilty-for-his/) [Rihanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rihanna/) > [The way the world underestimates me will be my greatest weapon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calista-flockhart/the-way-the-world-underestimates-me-will-be-my-greatest-weapon/) [Calista Flockhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calista-flockhart/) > [When Allah puts barakah (His blessings) in something, it will come beyond your expectations- never underestimate the power of one good deed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nouman-ali-khan/when-allah-puts-barakah-his-blessings-in-something-it-will-come/) [Nouman Ali Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nouman-ali-khan/) > [“You underestimate yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/you-underestimate-yourself/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) ## More by Ervand Abrahamian > [“A Foreign Office diplomat in London wrote in the margins of a Tehran report: “I tend to the view that Musaddiq still enjoys some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ervand-abrahamian/a-foreign-office-diplomat-in-london-wrote-in-the-margins-of-a-tehran/) [Ervand Abrahamian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ervand-abrahamian/) > [“The British consul in Mashed later wrote in his memoirs that what had turned “Russia from hot-war ally to cold-war rival” was the “vigorous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ervand-abrahamian/the-british-consul-in-mashed-later-wrote-in-his-memoirs-that-what-had/) [Ervand Abrahamian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ervand-abrahamian/) > [“It was in describing these early bargaining tactics by the British oil company that Dean Acheson, the U.S. secretary of state, made his famous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ervand-abrahamian/it-was-in-describing-these-early-bargaining-tactics-by-the-british/) [Ervand Abrahamian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ervand-abrahamian/) > [“refused any aid until the oil issue was settled. Matters came to a head in August when Mossadeq for three days, backed by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ervand-abrahamian/refused-any-aid-until-the-oil-issue-was-settled-matters-came-to-a/) [Ervand Abrahamian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ervand-abrahamian/) > [“Much of the public was convinced that the CIA was capable and willing to do so. Thus began the famous 444-day American hostage crisis.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ervand-abrahamian/much-of-the-public-was-convinced-that-the-cia-was-capable-and-willing/) [Ervand Abrahamian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ervand-abrahamian/) [Explore all 6 Ervand Abrahamian quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ervand-abrahamian/) ## More History quotes > [Histories never conclude; they just pause their prose. Their stories are, if they are truthful, untidy affairs, resistant to windings-up and sortings-out. They beat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-schama/histories-never-conclude-they-just-pause-their-prose-their-stories/) [Simon Schama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-schama/) > [It is said that history turns on small hinges. A human career, too, results from an accumulating series of decisions about large and small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/it-is-said-that-history-turns-on-small-hinges-a-human-career-too/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [The history of mankind interests us only as it exhibits a steady gain of truth and right, in the incessant conflict which it records…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-history-of-mankind-interests-us-only-as-it-exhibits-a-steady-gain/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [In the entire history of the universe, let alone in your own history, there has never been another day just like today, and there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/in-the-entire-history-of-the-universe-let-alone-in-your-own-history/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [The NBA is my history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-hardaway/the-nba-is-my-history/) [Penny Hardaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-hardaway/) > [History has often showed us the strength of the forces that are unleashed by the yearning for freedom. It moved people to overcome their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-merkel/history-has-often-showed-us-the-strength-of-the-forces-that-are/) [Angela Merkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-merkel/) > [We find few historians who have been diligent enough in their search for truth; it is their common method to take on trust what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/we-find-few-historians-who-have-been-diligent-enough-in-their-search/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [What is history after all? History is facts which become lies in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-cocteau/what-is-history-after-all-history-is-facts-which-become-lies-in-the/) [Jean Cocteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-cocteau/) > [Things live and die, and then someone processes them into edible portions. This is a complete telling of the story, 'Food.' The basic plot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fahrenthold/things-live-and-die-and-then-someone-processes-them-into-edible/) [David Fahrenthold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fahrenthold/) > [History is a certain way, but you just change the point of view a little bit, and you discover a whole new side of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-schroeder/history-is-a-certain-way-but-you-just-change-the-point-of-view-a/) [Allison Schroeder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-schroeder/) > [We're at a point in history were we have to become a part of the neighborhood of inhabited planets, like a neighborhood of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-mitchell/we-re-at-a-point-in-history-were-we-have-to-become-a-part-of-the/) [Edgar Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-mitchell/) > [Today is a reality, tomorrow's a promise, and yesterday's history!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-blanks/today-is-a-reality-tomorrow-s-a-promise-and-yesterday-s-history/) [Billy Blanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-blanks/) > [Truth be told from compulsive liars with a history/Everything must change 2nd chances are a mystery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-dash/truth-be-told-from-compulsive-liars-with-a-history-everything-must/) [C-DASH](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-dash/) > [Every army in the history of the world has always had some deserters, usually much greater than we have today, because once again every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-hilferty/every-army-in-the-history-of-the-world-has-always-had-some-deserters/) [Bryan Hilferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-hilferty/) > [“To those great geniuses now in petticoats, who shall write novels for the beloved reader's children, these men and things will be as much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/to-those-great-geniuses-now-in-petticoats-who-shall-write-novels-for/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) [Browse all 27,263 History quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“One should never underestimate the role of stupidity in history”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ervand Abrahamian" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ervand-abrahamian/one-should-never-underestimate-the-role-of-stupidity-in-history/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "History" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ervand-abrahamian/one-should-never-underestimate-the-role-of-stupidity-in-history/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/512/ervand-abrahamian-54154_history_one-should-never-underestimate-the-role_1361464.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/512/ervand-abrahamian-54154_history_one-should-never-underestimate-the-role_1361464.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/512/ervand-abrahamian-54154_history_one-should-never-underestimate-the-role_1361464.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“One should never underestimate the role of stupidity in history” — Ervand Abrahamian", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ervand Abrahamian", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ervand-abrahamian/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“One should never underestimate the role...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ervand-abrahamian/one-should-never-underestimate-the-role-of-stupidity-in-history/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ervand-abrahamian/one-should-never-underestimate-the-role-of-stupidity-in-history/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```