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Comment by hamper653 | Hacker News Reader

These people aren’t very bright, are they?

They've successfully planned and executed a takeover of the US government that will take decades to undo, if it's even possible at all. Of course they are bright, you don't stumble into causing this much damage.

They are simply thoroughly evil. This is easy to mask as "stupid", but stupid people wouldn't be able to be so consistent.

They are capable of executing in their own self interest. I doubt they have full understanding about the 2nd and 3rd order effects of their actions.

I wouldn't call them stupid, but they are hardly bright.

Maybe you've seen something I haven't, but why do you think that regarding e.g. Russell Vought? His primary goal has long been to swing the US towards Christian nationalism, and he has made enormous strides towards that. People like him are well aware of the negatives consequences these decisions have, but to them it's worth the pain.

I can't truly say since I've never talked to him (and I hope it stays that way), but IMO I simply cannot imagine someone doing everything Russell Vought has done to America, without being fairly smart. Maybe he's just acting as a proxy for smart people, but someone behind Project 2025 etc. objectively must be very intelligent.

There's a reflexive tendency to assume that anyone implementing cruel and bigoted policies must also be stupid, regretfully, this is sometimes not the case. As you have so accurately described, it's a very careful and calculated plan to move towards a desired end state. Whether that desired end state goal looks something like Gilead in The Handmaid's Tale, and whether you're supposed to like that, or abhor it, totally other question...

Is it though? Desiring such an end state sounds pretty stupid to me.

Of course, how could I forget that people's motivations are solely filtered through their reasoning. Obviously no smart person has ever desired anything that brings negative consequences for the people around them, while increasing their own power. That would be too stupid.

I mean, Americans have consistently elected these people, haven’t they? This is easy to mask as "evil", but…

I don't know what you're trying to say. Evil people can run for elections and receive votes.

But not-very-bright evil people can’t?

Of course they can, but as I already said, you don't stumble into causing this much damage. Damage caused by genuine stupidity would be distributed more randomly.

They seem to be doing pretty well for themselves.

Indeed.

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