To accuse another of having weak kidneys, lungs, or heart, is not a crime; on the contrary, saying he has a weak brain is a crime. To be considered stupid and to be told so is more painful than being called gluttonous, mendacious, violent, lascivious, lazy, cowardly: every weakness, every vice, has found its defenders, its rhetoric, its ennoblement and exaltation, but stupidity hasn't.

Summary

This quote highlights the social stigma surrounding intelligence and stupidity. While it is acceptable to criticize or mock someone's physical weaknesses or vices, calling someone stupid is deemed a heinous crime. The quote suggests that society has embraced and defended various flaws and vices, but stupidity remains unfairly marginalized. It implies that being labeled as stupid is more hurtful and lacking any kind of justification or acceptance, unlike other weaknesses or vices that are often seen as more forgivable or even praised.

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