The Perils of Uncritical Thinking—From Bonhoeffer to Modern Politics
In a small study room in Germany, as the world teetered on the brink of the Second World War, theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer formulated ideas that would resonate long after the bombs fell silent. While most people tend to focus on the sweeping moral question of good versus evil, Bonhoeffer offered a stark warning about a threat more subtle yet equally—if not more—destructive: stupidity. His reflections on the subject were not just philosophical exercises but urgent appeals to safeguard the human capacity for independent thought.