It makes more sense if you accept that one of the fundamental goals of the war is to reduce specific demographics of the Russian population. If the smart ones flee and the dumb ones are conscripted and marched into the ocean you're left with a docile middle of the road cattle population with no will to struggle against the elite.

[–] supersquirrel@sopuli.xyz 2 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

There is no way to sort smart people from dumb people, they are killing off their future inventors and innovators by handing them an AK47 and telling them to go die and that there will be no attempt to rescue them when they are wounded.

"smart" people are told this just the same as "dumb"...

Russia has no future now, it is basically a human rights crisis in the shape of an authoritarian state conducting a military offensive.

[–] tankfox@midwest.social 1 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I think if you set a house on fire the people who run out could be considered smart while the people who stay inside hoping the fire doesn't notice them could be considered dumb.

[–] supersquirrel@sopuli.xyz 2 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

You would think that, but that is not how pain and suffering works and it is dangerous way to think.

Have you ever met a perfectly kind, intelligent person stuck in an abusive relationship? I have, many times unfortunately. Smart people are living lives stuck in burning houses they appear completely capable of leaving all over the world, right now, it should break your heart. This is one of the basic reasons empathy for others and ourselves is a necessary calling we ignore at our peril.

[–] tankfox@midwest.social 1 points 6 hours ago* (last edited 6 hours ago)

I think this will come down to us defining 'intelligence' in fundamentally different ways, so arguing over that term won't get us anywhere. Smart isn't a monolith, in that someone who is 'intelligent' will automatically make intelligent choices in all aspects of their life, instead intelligence tends to be siloed into particular areas. Sometimes intelligence just lets one rationalize themselves into incredibly self destructive positions. Those are the one I would consider 'dumb' in this scenario, not through lack of raw intelligence but in the embrace of stupid behaviors such as, as we say, staying inside the burning house while rationalizing that the fire might go out before it gets to them and burns them up.

Critically those self deluding people will argue themselves into behaviors that closely mimic those who simply cannot comprehend the situation at all, and as such their kindness and intelligence becomes a distinction without a difference.