A famous quotation and its missing context

Stupidity is a more dangerous enemy of the good than malice. One may protest against evil; it can be exposed and, if need be, prevented by use of force. Evil always carries within itself the germ of its own subversion in that it leaves behind at least a sense of unease in human beings. Against stupidity we are defenseless. Neither protests nor the use of force accomplish anything here; reasons fall on deaf ears; facts that contradict one’s prejudgment simply need not be believe—in such moments the stupid person even becomes critical—and when facts are irrefutable they are just pushed aside as inconsequential, as incidental. In all this the stupid person, in contrast to the malicious one, is utterly self-satisfied and, being easily irritated, becomes dangerous by going on the attack. For that reason, greater caution is called for when dealing with a stupid person than with a malicious one. Never again will we try to persuade the stupid person with reasons, for it is senseless and dangerous.—Dietrich Bonhoeffer, in After Ten Years, 22

<idle musing>
This is probably one of the most famous quotations from Bonhoeffer. But, it is usually just thrown out there without any context and without the following paragraph.

If we want to know how to get the better of stupidity, we must seek to understand its nature. This much is certain, that in essence it is not an intellectual defect but a human one. There are human beings who are of remarkably agile intellect yet stupid, and others who are intellectually quite dull yet anything but stupid. We discover this to our surprise in particular situations. The impression one gains is not so much that stupidity is a congenital defect but that, under certain circumstances, people are made stupid or that they allow this to happen to them.

Did you catch that? He isn't saying that stupidity is an intellectual problem. Stupidity is a learned behavior in response to situations.

Being sensitive to the Holy Spirit can keep us from being stupid. As we walk in his power, we can walk in love, which is the exact opposite of stupid. Sure, we can make dumb decisions and mistakes, but that's not being stupid...

Just an
</idle musing>