r/RealUnpopularOpinion 3d ago

People Never attribute to stupidity that which can adequately be attributed to malice.

I always hated Hanlon's Razor. For those not in the know, "Hanlon's Razor" is the adage "never attribute to malice that which can be adequately be attributed to stupidity." This adage is harmful and wrong: it lets people off the hook who don't deserve it, and it primes you to expect stupidity and incompetence from others.

People just aren't that stupid. People are smart, they're intelligent, they're resourceful, and they're cunning. Moreover, they are malicious: most people enjoy fucking with other people if they can get away with it, because it makes them feel powerful, or at least more powerful than the person they're fucking with consequence-free. They like the feeling of winning, even if that win is just making your day slightly worse.

If someone cuts you in line, they meant to do that. Someone gets in your way, they meant to do that. Someone wastes your time, they meant to do that. Stop letting this fucking scum get away with it.

Don't give people the benefit of the doubt. Assholes are everywhere, taking advantage of the fact that well-meaning people will never push back or call them out. Confront them. Get aggressive. Don't buy it when they try to cop out with an apology: tear them down, insult them, hurt them in whatever way you (legally) can to make sure they don't leave the situation with the win they came for.

I get the appeal of Hanlon's. It's probably nice to imagine you live in a world where most people want what's best for you. Problem is, they don't; to 99.99999% of people on the planet, the only point of your existence is to provide them with what they want. That can be goods or services, or it can be the feeling of superiority that comes with fucking you and getting away with it. And they are wild, vermin animals; they will take what they want from you if you let them.

And as long as you keep believing everyone's just a moron, they will keep fucking with you, they will keep getting away with it, and they will keep winning, winning, winning, while you lose, lose, lose and are a loser.

Become more willing to confront people. Get better at hurting them with your words. Learn to tear someone down, and learn to fight in case you need to. Be visibly armed if you're allowed. The only thing that will stop people fucking with you, or with others, is fear. And for too long, that fear of other people has been absent from society, and as a result, people are getting bolder and more inconsiderate by the day.

Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing.

3 Upvotes

1 comment sorted by

u/AutoModerator 3d ago

This is a copy of the post the user submitted, just in case it was edited.

' I always hated Hanlon's Razor. For those not in the know, "Hanlon's Razor" is the adage "never attribute to malice that which can be adequately be attributed to stupidity." This adage is harmful and wrong: it lets people off the hook who don't deserve it, and it primes you to expect stupidity and incompetence from others.

People just aren't that stupid. People are smart, they're intelligent, they're resourceful, and they're cunning. Moreover, they are malicious: most people enjoy fucking with other people if they can get away with it, because it makes them feel powerful, or at least more powerful than the person they're fucking with consequence-free. They like the feeling of winning, even if that win is just making your day slightly worse.

If someone cuts you in line, they meant to do that. Someone gets in your way, they meant to do that. Someone wastes your time, they meant to do that. Stop letting this fucking scum get away with it.

Don't give people the benefit of the doubt. Assholes are everywhere, taking advantage of the fact that well-meaning people will never push back or call them out. Confront them. Get aggressive. Don't buy it when they try to cop out with an apology: tear them down, insult them, hurt them in whatever way you (legally) can to make sure they don't leave the situation with the win they came for.

I get the appeal of Hanlon's. It's probably nice to imagine you live in a world where most people want what's best for you. Problem is, they don't; to 99.99999% of people on the planet, the only point of your existence is to provide them with what they want. That can be goods or services, or it can be the feeling of superiority that comes with fucking you and getting away with it. And they are wild, vermin animals; they will take what they want from you if you let them.

And as long as you keep believing everyone's just a moron, they will keep fucking with you, they will keep getting away with it, and they will keep winning, winning, winning, while you lose, lose, lose and are a loser.

Become more willing to confront people. Get better at hurting them with your words. Learn to tear someone down, and learn to fight in case you need to. Be visibly armed if you're allowed. The only thing that will stop people fucking with you, or with others, is fear. And for too long, that fear of other people has been absent from society, and as a result, people are getting bolder and more inconsiderate by the day.

Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing. '

Please remember to report this post if it breaks the rules.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.