Resumo

HARDT, Lúcia Schneider. THE GENEALOGY OF STUPIDITY. Contrapontos [online]. 2019, vol.19, n.1, pp.16-26.  Epub 10-Abr-2019. ISSN 1984-7114.  https://doi.org/10.14210/contrapontos.v19n1.p16-26.

The article addresses two authors, through the concepts of genealogy and stupidity, with the purpose of thinking about our time and interpreting it. In methodological terms, we highlight the relationship between the concept of genealogy, understood as a movement of interpretation of the reality, and the concept of stupidity, to determine the extent to which we are unable to interpret our time due to obstinately wanting to find a truth without first inquiring about certain ideas and concepts that have already been absorbed, and that occupy a value that prevents their interpretation. This article therefore maintains that Nietzsche occupies a philosophical-educational position, by inviting us to continue thinking, in spite of our values. At the same time, the article sustains that in doing this, we may need to face our stupidity. Stupidity and politics seem to have a certain affinity. At some point or other, we are always stupid. The risk begins when we can no longer identify with it, and we see ourselves as wise enough to guide others. Stupidity is not the opposite of intelligence. For Musil, there are two types of stupidity: one is honest; it admits that something is lacking. The other stupidity is intelligent - erratic, pretentious. According to Musil, this stupidity seems to be more a disease of culture. Nietzsche warns us about stupidity at various points in his work, and presents strategies to deal with it. The dialogue appears in Nietzsche (ZITTEL, 2016) as a way of exposing gentle dispositions, attenuations and friendly skepticism, puzzles and occultations, constituting, it seems, a tool against stupidity. In order to set up a dialog with Musil and Nietzsche, I venture to say that stupidity, as a key for reading, does not want to keep us quiet, nor does it want to see us immobilized. However, we need to track down our stupidity, which may be occasional, functional, or even constitutional. According to Musil, we live in such unclear conditions of life that occasional stupidity very quickly turns into collective constitutional stupidity. Stupidity is always served by thoughts and affections that can, in a single body, show narrowness, amplitude, agility, simplicity, fidelity. Fighting stupidity requires patience. Care must be taken that affections do not overwhelm reason rather than inspire it. Thus, stupidity is not lack of intelligence; in fact, all intelligence has its stupidity, and tracking it down seems to be the great training challenge of the present moment. Resisting stupidity is an educational challenge that places us before another scenario: not obstinately pursuing truth, but verifying why certain ideas and concepts acquire value in our arguments.

Palavras-chave : Nietzsche; Stupidity; Genealogy.

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