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Bored Panda

Entertainment

Mindaugas Balčiauskas

75 Unfortunate Displays Of Stupidity People Proudly Showed Off Online

Internet

As Voltaire famously said, “Common sense is not so common.” Even if you don’t consider yourself to be a genius (you probably shouldn’t), you might often find yourself stunned by how incompetent other people can be. And for some reason, this seems to be even more apparent on the internet.

We took a trip to r/Stupid and gathered some of their most facepalm-worthy posts below. We don’t mean to annihilate your faith in humanity, pandas, but there’s a good chance that these images will make you feel like you’re surrounded by idiots. Enjoy scrolling through these hilarious posts that we wish were satire, and be sure to upvote the ones that make you feel super smart!

#1 I Facepalmed So Hard At This I Broke My Nose

#2 Thayers An Idiot

#3 Brutally Honest

Have you ever wondered how a certain politician could manage to get elected when you know in your heart that they’re an absolute idiot? And how often do you pass a car in traffic that is moving like the driver has only one brain cell? It’s kind to give others the benefit of the doubt in most situations, but sometimes, we have to accept that there are some stupid people out there.

As for why some people online appear to be lacking any intelligence, well, Evan Francen has some theories. First, he notes that social media and the internet certainly haven’t done us any favors. Sure, they’ve given us access to all the information in the world, but that means that we don’t actually have to know anything. And we’ve become so used to being in constant contact with others that we often forget to think before we speak (or type).

#4 Fact Check Before

#5 This Guy Really Fell For It Didn't He?

#6 Truer Words Have Never Been Said

Francen also pointed out that convenience is ruining people’s critical thinking. We don’t have to learn directions because an app will always tell us when to turn. We don’t have to learn how to spell because our phones will fix it for us. We don’t have to think because we can be constantly stimulated by our phones and just regurgitate what we hear on social media.

Along with that, many people have completely lost their problem-solving skills. Take bean soup theory, for example, or “what about me-ism.” This was created after someone commented on a TikTok of a recipe for bean soup, “What if I don’t like beans?” Instead of scrolling along and finding a different recipe, the person couldn’t comprehend that not everything is for them. Their problem could have easily been solved by looking for a pea soup or chicken noodle soup recipe instead.

#7 Well This Person Is Stupid

#8 This Is A Funny Text!

#9 The Stupidest Joke I've Seen Today!

Something else that’s particularly prevalent online (though this happens in real-life too) is clueless people being extremely confident. Whether it’s espousing conspiracy theories or claiming everyone else is wrong, people who have no idea what they’re talking about tend to be the loudest people in the room. Meanwhile, thousands of others will silently see their insane comments and just keep scrolling. So it’s easy to get the impression that everyone online is an idiot when the most intelligent people tend to keep their mouths shut.

#10 It Was A Bloody Muffin!!

#11 Seems Like A Stupid Question To Me

#12 I Feel Sorry For This Guy! Which Cruel Parent Did This To Him

Now, many people believe that the internet is making humans stupider. And while that’s not necessarily true, it is undoubtedly rewiring our brains. Concordia University explains that the internet is shortening our attention spans, worsening our ability to recall memories, and taking a significant toll on many people’s empathy muscles and social skills. Someone cannot blame the internet for not being able to read or for not knowing how to accomplish basic tasks around the house, but it might explain why they struggle so much with thinking outside the box.

#13 Thinks They Don't Need Vaccine

#14 Well He Fell Into That One

#15 This Person Is Beyond Help

The funny thing about feeling like you’re surrounded by idiots is that the majority of people believe that they’re smarter than the average person. Which, statistically, cannot be true, of course. But if you’re one of the rare people who is worried about being stupid, the BBC has some advice. First, they note that you must be able to recognize your blind spots. Nobody knows everything, and the smartest people can recognize what they don’t know.

#16 Logik 100

#17 No Juice? Just Crush Some Berries

#18 I'm So Glad This Person Got Taught A Well Deserved Lesson

If you don’t want to be the stupidest person in the room, you also have to be willing to eat humble pie. There will be moments when you accidentally say something incorrectly or make a mistake. Don’t double down and claim that you were correct. Just admit that you have some learning to do, and move on. It’s a much more mature way of approaching the situation, and it won’t get you cyberbullied for being an idiot online.

#19 They Fell Right Into This One

#20 Their Phone Gets No Attention Anymore The Newest Craze Is All About The Gps Tracking Mask

#21 Yikes

Something else you might want to start doing to really activate your brain is arguing with yourself. You can do this on any topic, really, to ensure that you see both sides. Being too narrow-minded is a huge hindrance to your life, but if you are open and willing to explore all sides of a situation, you’ll learn so much more.

Finally, the BBC urges people not to underestimate the checklist. It may not seem fun to make a checklist every day or every week, but it will keep you on task. Instead of wandering aimlessly, you’ll always know what needs to be done next. And you’ll feel a sense of accomplishment when you complete it!

#22 What The Stupid Hilarity Ensue

#23 My Life

#24 I Wonder Which Stupid Question Tipped Him Over The Breaking Point Of Him Letting Them Off

Are you enjoying these screenshots of people displaying their stupidity online, pandas? Keep upvoting the pics that make you smile, and let us know in the comments below what the stupidest thing you’ve ever seen on the internet was. Then, if you’re looking for another article from Bored Panda featuring images that will make you cringe, look no further than right here!