On stupidity

This week we read "Many Meetings," in which Frodo has arrived safely in Rivendell and, well, meets a broadening cast of characters. Elrond, Arwen, Glóin from Bilbo's adventure - oh and Bilbo, himself, is there, too.

So is Gandalf, with whom Frodo speaks first.  Frodo mentions surprise Strider has been as helpful as he has, given what he traditionally thought of what the Shire generally call "Big People."

"I thought, well, that they were just big,
and rather stupid: kind and stupid like Butterbur;
or stupid and wicked like Bill Ferny."

"Is it for people to be kind and stupid or wicked and stupid?"
"Surely kind and stupid - if you must be stupid, at least be kind."
"Kindness requires sense.  As in all things which are worth pursuing, it requires one to avoid the easy path.  Is it even possible to be kind and yet also stupid?"
"Kindness can simply mean staying out of the way.  Let those around you do what they want.  It takes no effort to just let people be."
"But what if those people are doing ill?  You must know how to respond."
"Is it so hard to stand up to evil-doers?"
"There are many of them, so we must say yes.  Few people, if they have the means, go hungry."
"But what of those without?"
"No, I mean hunger is something which we can say "it takes no effort" to be fed, because that is easy.  If you don't have the means, your hunger is not related to your physical inability to feed yourself."
"And yet some cannot feed themselves."
"And those we would call dependent - children or the sick or the elderly.  It's not a common problem for common people, as evil is."
"Perhaps we should define our terms.  What is stupid, first?"
"The term "stupidity" generally refers to a lack of intelligence, understanding, or the ability to learn and apply knowledge. It is often used to describe actions, behaviors, or decisions that appear unwise, irrational, or lacking in common sense"
"The inability to learn is particularly damning.  Frodo is not just saying they lack intelligence or understanding, but that even their capacity for growth is doubted."
"It is standard in the Shire to call those who do foolish things cracked - as if they are somehow broken, and not merely lacking."
"So Frodo's damnation is a cultural understanding of stupidity, not just his own, so we shouldn't hold him solely responsible for its harshness"
"Then let us move on.  What is kindness?"
"Kindness refers to the quality of being friendly, generous, considerate, and compassionate towards others. It involves treating people with warmth, empathy, and respect, often without expecting anything in return." "So the focus is on the other." "One can also be friendly and compassionate and respectful to oneself." "But without expecting anything in return?" "Why not?" "If someone does something for me, I will want to return the favor." "I would also." "But if I do something to myself, I know I will want to return the favor." "But you've already done yourself a favor." "So I cannot expect nothing in return, as I've already recieved something." "What is the essence of kindness, the action or the tone?" "I think the answer is on the word 'expecting'. We may wish or hope for reciprocation, but a kind person is not generous on the condition of recieving something. So I can be kind to myself, given the primary goal is not a future reciept." "Even if it is tertiary, such a goal collides with kindness. It is without expecting anything in return, not without expecting much in return." "And there is the word often. So one can sometimes expect something in return." "Kindness conditionally given is not such." "Metaphysically, yes. But actually, who cares? A kind word is a kind word, despite the motivation." "I am unconvinced." "Then, kindly, I will not push you. We are not the same people, some disagreement is expected." "Fair enough. These conversations would be worth less if we did agree all the time. OK, what is wickedness?" "In a moral sense, "wicked" describes something or someone characterized by evil or malevolence. It implies a deliberate intention to harm, deceive, or act in a morally wrong way." "Well that's not helpful, for we need to define evil and malevolence." "Do we?" "Sort of, otherwise anyone who grabs those terms can say such and such is wicked. Generosity to others is more self-evident."* "OK, so let's settle for the second sentence. Deliberate intent to harm and deceive." "In a morally wrong way!! We are not saying violence is necessarily wicked." "Indeed, not. Though we'll want to be very careful in saying when violence is justified - or necessary. Surely violence is never kindness." "Was ending the Nazi regime not kind?" "Not to them! And kind doesn't seem like the right word anyway. The First Gulf War protected Kuwaiti independence. I don't think anyone, including them, would define that conflict as kind. Kind is an opposite of wicked, but it is not the tool with which to oppose it." "Back to our source. Using our definitions we have Frodo saying "I thought some were generous and compassionate and giving to others without expecting much in return and have a lack of understanding and intellignece and some were intentionally harmful when it was not justified and have a lack of understanding and intelligence." "Boy, that's a mouthful!" "Well, we are no Creative Wizards here." "So which is better?" "Kind and stupid, as we had said." "Oh, I was going to say the opposite, having seen it laid out like that." "But kindness trumps wickedness - obviously, yes?' "But we are assuming the kindness works. If one is kind but stupid they may be kind in what that are unhelpful. They may donate to organizations that are not in need. They may be unable to understand certain kinds of suffering and harm. Their kindness may be only for those who are like them. This is not the kindness I wish to see in the world." "But rather one who is wicked and stupid?" "One who deliberately does harm without understanding is more easily addressed. The above is a fool - whom we should pity. A wicked and stupid person is more obviously a problem. A world full of stupid and wicked people will spur that world to action." "If we are to have wicked people in the world let us hope they are stupid. Stupid and kind may fill us with pity and may not do much help in the world, but we can also ignore them, not pushing them to grow. We can grow complacent, confusing their harmlessness for virtue. And while it would be better for you or me to be kind and stupid for the sake of the world, stupid and wicked is better because it minimizes wicked results. If I must choose to make all stupid people kind or all wicked people stupid, then the latter!" "There is another angle we have yet to discuss." "We've gone on long enough already!" "This will be quick. Frodo describes Butterbur as kind and stupid, but Bill Ferny as stupid and wicked. Why have the order of the adjectives change?" "Because kindness is seen first, before one's stupidity is seen." "And we do not notice wickedness so much?" "We do, but we will excuse it. We will instead assume stupidity - that this person doesn't understand or has made a mistake or that it is we are who the ignorant ones. Calling someone wicked is a morally heavy burden, one that we will avoid whenever possible. When we call someone wicked, it should be because all other explanations have been tried and found lacking. Similarly, we should be wary of those who claim to know evil quickly and often. It isn't only that they are likely wrong, but a sign that they lack empathy - that rather than attempt to understand another's point of view, or accept that some people are indeed stupid. Stupidity is more easily addressed than wickedness, though less heroic. Instead, these would rather simply announce them as evil, evil must be confronted and destroyed. It is for that very reason we must be extremely careful about who and what we call evil, and only after great pains to avoid it. We must be hesitant to be righteous and eager to be understanding. We should not prioritize our own desire for heroism over quieter solutions."

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*As someone who is Pro-Israel, I am both concerned how easily it was for me to find a link calling Zionism evil and also grateful how difficult it was for me to find a link calling Palestinians evil.  I am glad to see my side is being more careful in the deployment of that sort of language.