The 6 Principles Of Stupidity: David Brooks’ Viral Column That Explains Modern Politics

David Brooks' column on "stupidity" has become one of his most talked-about pieces in recent memory, resonating deeply with readers trying to make sense of the current political and cultural climate. The latest iteration of his thinking on the subject, published in early 2025, argues that the problem of stupidity is not one of low IQ, but rather a profound failure of moral imagination and rational thinking that has come to define public life. As of today, December 15, 2025, the core arguments of his column remain a critical lens through which to view societal decision-making, from institutional failures to the polarized political arena.

The veteran *New York Times* columnist makes a compelling case that intelligent individuals are often the most susceptible to "stupidity," defining it as a blindness to consequences, an inability to see the world through another's eyes, and a crippling form of intellectual hubris. This article breaks down the key arguments, explores the intellectual foundations of his thesis—including the critical influence of Dietrich Bonhoeffer—and provides a complete profile of the journalist who dared to call out the era of the "unintelligent elite."

David Brooks: Journalist, Author, and Cultural Commentator Profile

David Brooks is a Canadian-born American journalist, author, and cultural and political commentator, widely recognized for his long-running Op-Ed column in *The New York Times*. His work often bridges conservative political analysis with sociological and moral philosophy, attempting to understand the deeper cultural currents shaping American life.

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• Full Name: David Brooks
• Born: August 11, 1961 (Canadian-American)
• Key Role: Op-Ed Columnist for *The New York Times* (since September 2003)
• Education: University of Chicago (B.A. in History)
• Previous Roles: Senior Editor at *The Weekly Standard*, contributing editor at *Newsweek* and *The Atlantic*, reporter for *The Wall Street Journal*.
• Television/Media: Regular political commentator on *PBS NewsHour* and NPR's *All Things Considered*.
• Notable Books: *Bobos in Paradise: The New Upper Class and How They Got There* (2000), *The Social Animal* (2011), and *The Road to Character* (2015).
• Political Stance: Generally considered a conservative or centrist commentator, known for his nuanced critiques of both the political right and left.

The Core Thesis: Why Stupidity is Not the Opposite of Intelligence

Brooks’ most recent columns on the subject, including one from January 2025, fundamentally redefine "stupidity." He argues that in the modern context, stupidity has nothing to do with IQ scores or formal education. Instead, it is a moral and rational failing that is, paradoxically, often most prevalent among the highly educated elite.

The central distinction Brooks makes is between intelligence and rationality. Intelligence is the ability to solve problems, absorb information, and process data. Stupidity, however, is the failure to apply that intelligence wisely, a lack of judgment, or an inability to consider the full human and moral consequences of one's actions.

He often cites the 2008 financial crisis as a prime example, where highly intelligent bankers and financial modelers, blinded by their own intellectual hubris and complex statistical models, acted with profound stupidity, failing to foresee the catastrophic consequences of their greed-driven decisions. Their brilliance in one area led to a massive failure in judgment.

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The Six Principles of Stupidity: A Listicle Breakdown

In a column that has been widely circulated and debated, Brooks outlined what he calls "The Six Principles of Stupidity," providing a framework for understanding why smart people and institutions make monumentally bad decisions. This listicle format distills the essence of his critique of modern intellectual and political life.

1. Stupidity is a Failure of Rationality, Not Intellect

This is the foundational principle. Brooks argues that the opposite of stupidity is not intelligence, but rationality—a quality that involves self-awareness, emotional control, and the ability to step outside one's own frame of reference. A person can be a genius but lack the wisdom and emotional maturity to act rationally, leading to disastrous outcomes.

2. Stupidity is a Blindness to Consequences

The stupid person, in Brooks' view, is one who acts without a comprehensive view of the future impact of their choices. They are focused on the immediate, the technical, or the ideological win, ignoring the long-term human, social, and economic ripple effects. This lack of foresight is a hallmark of political and institutional failure.

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3. Stupidity is Nearly Impossible to Oppose

Brooks heavily leans on the work of theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who wrote extensively on the "Theory of Stupidity" while imprisoned by the Nazis. Bonhoeffer's famous quote, “Against stupidity we are defenseless,” is central to this principle. Stupidity is not logical, so reasonable arguments and facts often bounce off it, leaving rational people powerless to counter irrational actions.

4. Stupidity is Often Driven by Intellectual Hubris

The idea of intellectual hubris is a key entity in Brooks' analysis. This is the arrogance of the highly intelligent person who believes their technical knowledge or specialized expertise makes them infallible in all matters. This overconfidence leads them to dismiss common sense, moral intuition, and the wisdom of non-experts.

5. Stupidity is a Social Phenomenon

Brooks notes that stupidity is often contagious and amplified in groups. It is not just an individual failing but a collective one, where people surrender their critical faculties to the group's dominant ideology or narrative. This explains the phenomenon of entire institutions—from banks to political parties—acting with a unified, self-destructive lack of judgment.

6. Stupidity is a Moral, Not Just Cognitive, Failure

Ultimately, Brooks frames stupidity as a moral shortcoming. It is a failure of empathy—an inability to imagine the pain or harm that one's decisions will inflict on others. He suggests that a decline in reading and a focus on purely technical education have contributed to a deficit in moral imagination, leaving the intellectual elite "stupider" in the ways that truly matter.

The Bonhoeffer Connection: The Most Important Entity in Brooks' Essay

To give his argument philosophical weight, Brooks consistently brings in the writings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906–1945), a German Lutheran pastor and theologian who was executed for his role in the resistance against Adolf Hitler. Bonhoeffer’s "Theory of Stupidity," written in 1944, is the intellectual backbone of Brooks’ column.

Bonhoeffer argued that stupidity is a greater enemy of good than malice. He saw it not as a psychological defect but as a sociological and theological one—a product of specific historical and social circumstances. For Bonhoeffer, the stupid person is often a tool, easily manipulated by political forces, who is walled off from reality by slogans and ideologies. Brooks uses this powerful historical analogy to suggest that modern political and cultural polarization has created the very social conditions that Bonhoeffer described, where a lack of independent thought and a surrender to group-think enable widespread irrationality.

Other entities and thinkers referenced by Brooks to build topical authority include Hannah Arendt, who wrote about the "banality of evil," and John Henry Newman, who discussed the idea of a university being a place that cultivates broad intellectual and moral development, a concept Brooks suggests is being lost in the modern, overly specialized educational system.

Analysis and Impact: The Era of the Unintelligent Elite

The impact of Brooks' "stupidity" column is its direct challenge to the modern elite. His earlier work, like *Bobos in Paradise*, critiqued the "Bourgeois Bohemians," but his latest column goes further, arguing that the new upper class is not just culturally pretentious but fundamentally incapable of sound judgment in the face of complex moral and political choices.

The column forces a crucial conversation about the difference between technical competence and practical wisdom. It suggests that the political turmoil and institutional failures of the mid-2020s are less about a clash of ideologies and more about a widespread breakdown in prudence and moral reasoning. Brooks’ consistent use of terms like *intellectual hubris*, *rationality*, *consequences*, and *moral imagination* serves as a powerful set of LSI keywords that frame the debate beyond simple partisan politics.

In conclusion, David Brooks’ article on stupidity is more than just a political commentary; it is a philosophical call to action. It urges readers to recognize that the greatest threat to a functional society is not a lack of smart people, but a surfeit of smart people who have traded wisdom for specialization, moral imagination for technical expertise, and rationality for self-serving intellectual arrogance. The principles he outlines serve as a sobering, timely warning for all who hold positions of power and influence today.