The Basic Laws of Human Stupidity Audiobook By Carlo M. Cipolla, Nassim Nicholas Taleb - foreword cover art

The Basic Laws of Human Stupidity

Preview

Try for $0.00
Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

The Basic Laws of Human Stupidity

By: Carlo M. Cipolla, Nassim Nicholas Taleb - foreword
Narrated by: Paul Boehmer
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $4.50

Buy for $4.50

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Cancel

About this listen

"A masterly book." (Nassim Nicholas Taleb, author of The Black Swan)

"A classic." (Simon Kuper, Financial Times)

An economist explores the five laws that confirm our worst fears: Stupid people can and do rule the world.

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.

This audiobook includes a downloadable PDF that contains the gain and loss graphs from the book.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2020 Carlo M. Cipolla (P)2020 Random House Audio
Comedy & Humor Decision-Making & Problem Solving Society Career Witty Funny Thought-Provoking Business Inspiring
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

Critic reviews

"Cipolla's subtle tongue-in-cheek humor made this book an underground classic in Italy. Today, under current worldwide political trends, it reads more like black humor. Keep in mind: reliable statistical data shows that 98 percent of the people seriously believe that they are far less stupid than the average." (Carlo Rovelli, author of Seven Brief Lessons on Physics)

"Subtly lacerating." (Publishers Weekly)

“The more you confront actual stupidity in everyday life, the more infuriating it is, whereas the more you contemplate it in the abstract, the more amusing it becomes. Cipolla finds the perfect tone to handle this paradox. On the page, he is arch and slightly annoyed, with a good deal of mock scholarly gravity thrown in.... Cipolla is very droll, and his theories - however deeply he has implanted his tongue in his cheek - have a helpful, clarifying quality.” (Commentary Magazine)

What listeners say about The Basic Laws of Human Stupidity

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    261
  • 4 Stars
    56
  • 3 Stars
    28
  • 2 Stars
    14
  • 1 Stars
    7
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    228
  • 4 Stars
    52
  • 3 Stars
    21
  • 2 Stars
    6
  • 1 Stars
    6
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    219
  • 4 Stars
    48
  • 3 Stars
    20
  • 2 Stars
    10
  • 1 Stars
    13

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Defined stupidity

A surprisingly short book with a large impact. the idea to measure stupidity based on a calculation between value derived to oneself vs value derived to others is an interesting idea and provides a different insight into the rise and fall of historic cultures/nations.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A must read

It's hilarious, scary, and sobering wrapped in a tight little package that forces you to look at people and groups of people in a new light.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Knowledge is power, and protection.

Very informative and interesting. Sad knowing this is our true station in life. We have to find a way.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Stupid not to read

Very funny and interesting way at looking at our flaws. Recommend

Nho Nho Nho Nho



Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Satire or true wisdom?

Funny and tragic. Certainly insightful in the present political climate. I would rename some of the categories. I would say the helpless would better be described as naive, the bandit as wicked people, the stupid are actually foolish, and the intelligent are actually better described as wise. This clarifies the idea that someone could be intelligent but foolish. Someone might not be well educated but could still be wise. On rare occasions you could have someone both intelligent and wise although they may act foolishly at times usually due to arrogance. King Solomon for example.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Eye-Opening!

It’s just the thing you need to “understand” life and see it a little clearer.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Direct and to the point

No allegory just the facts. Thanks

No allegory just the facts. Thanks

No allegory just the facts. Thanks

No allegory just the facts. Thanks

Ok

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

it was very interesting.

the only problem is that he did not really have data to back up his hypothesis, not that it is possible to have such data. it is however very very thought-provoking.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Wow!

In less than an hour this audiobook captures the essence of the topic and my brain was in a duel between laugh and logic. I highly recommend!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

An excellent Analysis

It is a worthtime investment.
The loss of stupidity invite you to think about the world around you, but also invite you to question yourself

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!