With current events, I find myself drawn to re-read Bonhoeffer’s Theory of Stupidity. I see a lot of stupidity on both sides of the political aisle, and I also see that it is infecting the church. We, who should be seekers of truth, are too easily drawn into sides and decide to allow the mob mentality to inform our ethics. We demand that people express which side they are on. We assume those who voted for one side love everything that side does, and demand they answer for everything members of their side do. It is assumed, “If I am angry about this, and you are not, then you are either part of the problem or are perhaps even evil. If you do not conclude what I conclude, then you have your head in the sand. Think like me, or you are guilty.” Now consider the words of Dietrich Bonhoeffer:
“Upon closer observation, it becomes apparent that every strong upsurge of power in the public sphere, be it of a political or of a religious nature, infects a large part of humankind with stupidity. It would even seem that this is virtually a sociological-psychological law. The power of the one needs the stupidity of the other. The process at work here is not that particular human capacities, for instance, the intellect, suddenly atrophy or fail. Instead, it seems that under the overwhelming impact of rising power, humans are deprived of their inner independence and, more or less consciously, give up establishing an autonomous position toward the emerging circumstances. The fact that the stupid person is often stubborn must not blind us to the fact that he is not independent. In conversation with him, one virtually feels that one is dealing not at all with a person, but with slogans, catchwords and the like, that have taken possession of him.”
Now, before you think I am speaking about one side or another in this current situation, do not make that mistake. I am talking about left and right. I see the mob mentality where people do not seek understanding, but feed on mutual emotion and mob morality. I see the abuses by authorities and politicians at the federal, state, and local levels. And before you place it all on one level, keep in mind that every level has been guilty of obfuscation and abuse to appease its base. Then look at the media. Each side uses inflammatory headlines. These are not used to inform, but to draw clicks and views. The old saying, “If it bleeds, it leads,” is just as true in the media today as in the past. There are also foreign actors creating buzz through false claims and AI-generated videos to sow dissension, knowing that few wait for details and facts to emerge. (Before you deny this, understand it has been confirmed as a major problem on all social media platforms for years.) Even fewer will actively dig for details. They have already decided which side they are on and happily surrender to confirmation bias. And then when you add politicians and bureaucrats on both sides and all levels, who only take their feet out of their mouths long enough to change feet, you have the perfect recipe for a dumbed-down and divided population.
None of this should be true of the church, but we are all human. We need to seek truth and not simply allow an algorithm to determine our beliefs. When you see a story, don’t react first with anger or glee. Instead, dig into it for details. To paraphrase Marcus Aurelius, “What you hear is an opinion; what you see is a perspective.” Neither are sure facts. Look deeper.
You may say, “Well, I don’t have time to look for more information,” or perhaps, “I don’t know how to look for more details?” Then why would you conclude you know enough about it? Why would you share it? You may say, “If it’s true, it is terrible and must be shared!” Don’t overlook the first word in that sentence: “If.” If it is not true, then you have shared a lie. If you are saying, “It is people on the other side doing it, so it must be true,” look back at Bonhoeffer’s quote about stupidity and my statement about confirmation bias.
I can give you one “if” we should all chew on:
“Imagine if people only shared information they knew to be true.”
James 1:19 says, “Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger.”
This is especially important with social media, which can send your words, true or false, around the world with a single click. The well-known adage could be rephrased as, “Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to post to social media and remove all doubt.”