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expired Posted by phoinix | Staff • Last Monday
expired Posted by phoinix | Staff • Last Monday

The Basic Laws of Human Stupidity (eBook)

$2.00

$9.99

79% off
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Various Retailers have The Basic Laws of Human Stupidity by Carlo M. Cipolla (eBook) on sale for $1.99.

Thanks to Deal Hunter phoinix for sharing this deal.

Available:About this title:
  • Page Length: 64
  • Throughout history, a powerful force has hindered the growth of human welfare and happiness. It is more powerful than the Mafia or the military. It has global catastrophic effects and can be found anywhere from the world's most powerful boardrooms to your local bar.
  • It is human stupidity.
  • Carlo M. Cipolla, noted professor of economic history at the UC Berkeley, created this vitally important book in order to detect and neutralize its threat. Both hilarious and dead serious, it will leave you better equipped to confront political realities, unreasonable colleagues, or your next dinner with your in-laws.
  • The Laws:
    1. Everyone underestimates the number of stupid individuals among us.
    2. The probability that a certain person is stupid is independent of any other characteristic of that person.
    3. A stupid person is a person who causes losses to another person while deriving no gain and even possibly incurring losses themselves.
    4. Non-stupid people always underestimate the damaging power of stupid individuals.
    5. A stupid person is the most dangerous type of person.

Editor's Notes

Written by jimmytx | Staff
  • About this Store:
  • Additional Information:
    • This offer matches our front page deal from October 2023 which earned 25 thumbs up.
    • Rated 4.4 out of 5 stars on Amazon based on over 2315 customer reviews.
    • Please see the original post for additional details and/or view the Wiki and forum comments for further helpful discussion if available.

Original Post

Written by phoinix | Staff
Product Info
Community Notes
About the Poster
Deal Details
Product Info
Community Notes
About the Poster
Various Retailers have The Basic Laws of Human Stupidity by Carlo M. Cipolla (eBook) on sale for $1.99.

Thanks to Deal Hunter phoinix for sharing this deal.

Available:About this title:
  • Page Length: 64
  • Throughout history, a powerful force has hindered the growth of human welfare and happiness. It is more powerful than the Mafia or the military. It has global catastrophic effects and can be found anywhere from the world's most powerful boardrooms to your local bar.
  • It is human stupidity.
  • Carlo M. Cipolla, noted professor of economic history at the UC Berkeley, created this vitally important book in order to detect and neutralize its threat. Both hilarious and dead serious, it will leave you better equipped to confront political realities, unreasonable colleagues, or your next dinner with your in-laws.
  • The Laws:
    1. Everyone underestimates the number of stupid individuals among us.
    2. The probability that a certain person is stupid is independent of any other characteristic of that person.
    3. A stupid person is a person who causes losses to another person while deriving no gain and even possibly incurring losses themselves.
    4. Non-stupid people always underestimate the damaging power of stupid individuals.
    5. A stupid person is the most dangerous type of person.

Editor's Notes

Written by jimmytx | Staff
  • About this Store:
  • Additional Information:
    • This offer matches our front page deal from October 2023 which earned 25 thumbs up.
    • Rated 4.4 out of 5 stars on Amazon based on over 2315 customer reviews.
    • Please see the original post for additional details and/or view the Wiki and forum comments for further helpful discussion if available.

Original Post

Written by phoinix | Staff

Community Voting

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Top Comments

#3 certainly rings true... as the stock market tumbles for the last month:

3. A stupid person is a person who causes losses to another person while deriving no gain and even possibly incurring losses themselves.
What was Carlin's saying? Something like, "Imagine how stupid the average person is, and then realize, half of 'em are stupider than that!"
Perfect timing in the US for this sale.

23 Comments

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Last Monday
11 Posts
Joined Sep 2023
Last Monday
WittyThread3767
Last Monday
11 Posts
this should be a NYT best seller! for people that can read...
2
Last Monday
1,891 Posts
Joined Dec 2006
Last Monday
bob151
Last Monday
1,891 Posts
At first glance strictly on this slick deals page, I'm not sure if this book is satire or a legit economics topic book based on those 5 laws (which I do believe to be accurate).

My kids get on my case, they say the people I sometimes refer to, they are not stupid, they haven't been fully educated or informed, to which I respond, no, some people are just stupid.

I may just buy a hardcover and leave it in the living room.
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aerogems
Last Monday
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Our community has rated this post as helpful. If you agree, why not thank aerogems

What was Carlin's saying? Something like, "Imagine how stupid the average person is, and then realize, half of 'em are stupider than that!"
2
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1
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Last Monday
NotBuscemi
Last Monday
2,222 Posts
#3 certainly rings true... as the stock market tumbles for the last month:

3. A stupid person is a person who causes losses to another person while deriving no gain and even possibly incurring losses themselves.
Last edited by NotBuscemi March 10, 2025 at 05:29 PM.
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Kaufboy
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Our community has rated this post as helpful. If you agree, why not thank Kaufboy

Only 64 pages? He could have easily written a 640 page book on human stupidity.

Also, at $0.03 per page this isn't exactly slick.
2
Last Monday
6 Posts
Joined Jun 2015
Last Monday
CmdrChuch
Last Monday
6 Posts
Since it is so short, I just used kindle credits. Thanks OP
1
6d ago
101 Posts
Joined Jan 2004
6d ago
andrewe77
6d ago
101 Posts
Amazing book. Especially relevant today.
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6d ago
212 Posts
Joined Jan 2005
6d ago
Needa916
6d ago
212 Posts

Our community has rated this post as helpful. If you agree, why not thank Needa916

Perfect timing in the US for this sale.
1
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4
6d ago
68 Posts
Joined Nov 2019
6d ago
MemorableCrayon539
6d ago
68 Posts
Your response shows he is right ¯\_ (ツ)_/¯
4
6d ago
561 Posts
Joined Dec 2010
6d ago
kittielover
6d ago
561 Posts
Quote from aerogems :
What was Carlin's saying? Something like, "Imagine how stupid the average person is, and then realize, half of 'em are stupider than that!"
Lest we forget the immortal words of Ron White, "You Can't Fix Stupid."

SOOOO true - Lord knows I've tried...
1
6d ago
1,100 Posts
Joined Nov 2010
6d ago
pauladams11
6d ago
1,100 Posts
Comments here were predictably tiresome and unoriginal.

$2 for a 64-page book that most people here could summarize being given only the title? Spend your $2 on a couple classics converted to ebook and feed your brain instead. So you don't become... well, you know.
1
6
Pro
6d ago
996 Posts
Joined Dec 2005
6d ago
candelabra
Pro
6d ago
996 Posts
Quote from Kaufboy :
Only 64 pages? He could have easily written a 640 page book on human stupidity.

Also, at $0.03 per page this isn't exactly slick.
Yeah but I can't imagine after even the first ten pages, the use of the word "stupid" would be pretty shopworn. I'm guessing those five points pretty much sum it up, but hey, maybe I'm stupid
6d ago
1,067 Posts
Joined Jan 2011
6d ago
hulksweider
6d ago
1,067 Posts
Quote :
Quote from aerogems :
what was carlin's saying? something like, "imagine how stupid the average person is, and then realize, half of 'em are stupider than that!"
wittythread3767this should be a nyt best seller! for people that can read...
huh? wha?
2
6d ago
18,746 Posts
Joined Sep 2003
6d ago
beowulf7
6d ago
18,746 Posts
Libby has the audio book available.
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5d ago
3 Posts
Joined Jul 2023
5d ago
CoralSummer6345
5d ago
3 Posts
Quote from Kaufboy :
Only 64 pages? He could have easily written a 640 page book on human stupidity.

Also, at $0.03 per page this isn't exactly slick.

Even at just $2, I felt stupid for buying a 64 page book.

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