History Main / StupidityTropes

* HaveYouToldAnyoneElse: Someone has just acquired some information that, if spread, could be very dangerous to a morally bankrupt individual or group... so, naturally, the threatened individual or group is ''the first one'' they share the information with. [[HeKnowsTooMuch No points for guessing what happens next]].

* SmartJerkAndNiceMoron: An [[KindheartedSimpleton well-meaning moron]] paired with [[InsufferableGenius a smarter but meaner character]].

** BumblingDad: A father who is [[TheDitz a clueless idiot]].
** PoliceAreUseless: The cops are a bunch of [[CluelessDetective incompetent morons]] who can't do their jobs right.

** DrunkDriver: Extra stupidity points are awarded to those who get really drunk and then drive.

** WildCardExcuse: A stupid person uses the same excuse over and over no matter what situation they're in.

* TheBrute: An savagely violent person or animal who lacks intelligence, sensitivity, or compassion.

** StupidityIsTheOnlyOption: The only way the plot can advance is through a character making a boneheaded mistake.

* {{Cloudcuckoolander}}: They're not always seen as total goofballs that are foolish and nutty, but often this kind of person has a rather... bizarre and sometimes nonsensical outlook on life.

** InspectorLestrade: Where this detective is good at getting the pieces of a problem, they are lacking in skills with observation because of their sheer incompetence.

* DitchTheBodyguards: Bodyguards that can't keep track of their clients have to be real idiots.

* DitzyGenius: An generally intelligent character that has his/her idiotic moments in certain other aspects.

* DontTouchItYouIdiot: An phrase told to [[TheDitz an idiot]] by a genius about them touching world-destroying devices.

* EskimosArentReal: An idiot that actually believes that real things, such as ponies or Hawaii, don't exist.

* FeigningIntelligence: An stupid person that pretends to be smart in order to impress people, and fails at it.
** IveHeardOfThatWhatIsIt: A stupid person who asks what something is after acting as if they knew already.
** ObfuscatingStupidity: {{Inver|tedTrope}}sely, when a smart person pretends to be stupid to deceive people.
* FirstStepFixation: A character has a goal, and a plan to accomplish that goal--then stupidly fixates ''that plan specifically'', to the extent that it overrides their original goal.

** FearlessFool: Plus they're too dumb to realize the danger they're in when [[LeeroyJenkins charging into a fight]].

* ForgotToFeedTheMonster: Moronic villains or [[{{Jerkass}} Jerkasses]] starve their pets/minions to death by forgetting to feed them.

** ContractualGenreBlindness: Characters make stupid mistakes on purpose because that's just the role that they're given.
** RealityShowGenreBlindness: How in blazes do these morons auditioning for this well-known reality show not know how this show works?

* HarmlessVillain: Villains (other than being not so threatening), can be [[PokeThePoodle too]] [[StupidCrooks stupid]] [[LaughablyEvil and silly to impose a threat]].
** IneffectualSympatheticVillain: Similar outcome, except that a genuine villain that fails persistently because of their buffoonery, incompetence, [[SuperGullible gullibility,]] [[TheKlutz klutziness,]] or [[TooDumbToLive self-destructive foolery]] getting the better of them as it prevents them from causing any harm that makes you easily sympathize for them because of their failures.

** ConflictBall: Characters go at each other's throats for face-palmingly dumb reasons or no reason at all.
** DistressBall: Character endangers themself by being uncharacteristically stupid.
** HeroBall: TheHero screws himself over through sudden stupidity.
*** OutOfSightOutOfMind: The clueless heroes think throwing out the ArtifactOfDoom and/or the villain will instantly save the day.
*** VillainExitStageLeft: The villain escapes after being defeated because the heroes just stand there like idiots and let him.
** ThirdActStupidity: Character suddenly loses their intelligence at the end of the story in order to drag out the ending.
** VillainBall: Villains always lose because they can't be evil in a smart and competent way.
*** BondVillainStupidity: He could've killed the hero right then but instead, like an idiot, decides to either stick him in an easily escapable trap or doesn't make sure he's dead.
*** CutLexLuthorACheck: The villain doesn't seem to be smart enough to realize that he could make money off his evil inventions, instead he wastes them on petty crime.
*** JustBetweenYouAndMe: The villain thinks it's a smart idea to reveal his whole plan to the hero since it may look like the hero is about to die; 'boy was he wrong.
*** RevealingCoverup: You can tell how stupid a villain is by how bad they are at hiding confidential information.

* IncompetentGuardAnimal: An guard animal that is so inept or [[TheSlacker too]] [[LazyBum lazy]] at protecting or doing its job.

* ItSeemedLikeAGoodIdeaAtTheTime: That so-called "good idea" you had turned out to be a really stupid mistake.

* KindheartedSimpleton: Not the brightest characters around, but they're [[TheCutie so sweet]] and [[AllLovingHero very likable]].[[note]]These types of characters are obviously not the sharpest knife in the drawer, are incredibly simple, artless, ingenuous, and simplistic (not to mention simple-minded). Such to the point that they don't have enough common sense or intelligence because of how they interpret things in a way that is too simple, are devoid of subtlety, and do not understand how complicated some things are. And in spite of their lack of experience, worldly wisdom, and having simple tastes, however, their unsophisticated qualities still show how unpretentious, modest, & humble they are with their simplistic nature & low intelligence. Along with having a strong morality side to them because of their affection, gentleness, sympathy arising from a kind heart, warmth, concern, and care for others. And they'd generally do this in a wholesome and innocent manner.[[/note]]
* TheKlutz: When sheer clumsiness can be prone to [[PluckyComicRelief comical]] silliness, foolery and stupidity, mainly because of moving and/or handling things in careless, clueless, or awkward ways as a sign of being awkward and useless at whatever they're doing.[[note]]This is especially applied towards [[TheDitz stupid or unwise characters]] that are habitually uncoordinated, unskilled, inelegant, and not dextrous such as many stumblebums, clodhoppers, gawks, oafs, or lummoxes (especially with similar sources of clumsiness like such as a bungling character) as prime examples of this for moving or doing things in a way that is not smooth, steady, competent nor careful when they're usually so forgetful and unaware enough to realize that their behavior makes them out to seem like they are absentmindedly TooDumbToLive with their movements or actions, and excessively so.[[/note]]

* LawfulStupidChaoticStupid: Stupidity lies on both sides of the OrderVsChaos spectrum.
** ChaoticStupid: Being so devoted to anarchy & nonsense kills common sense.
** LawfulStupid: Being devoted to following the rules without stopping to really think about it.
** StupidEvil: Doing evil things without rhyme, reason, or any sense of self-preservation.
** StupidGood: A character who's so pure-hearted and idealistic that they are hilariously [[SuperGullible easy to take advantage of]].
** StupidNeutral: People who don't pick good or evil make some really dumb choices as a result.

** LethalKlutz: Same ideal but with [[TheKlutz clumsiness]] instead.

* NoMeansYes: An idiot never recognizes when someone really means it when they say no.
* NoPeripheralVision: A character fails to notice anything that isn't '''directly''' in front of them, as if they're wearing blinders.

** NoOneElseIsThatDumb: The more subverted and deconstructed version of this, where smart characters ask a question in order to make sure to see if they can recognize the not-so-bright characters as their friends by confirming their idiocy to do so.

* ObliviousToHatred: Characters that are too dumb to realize that someone hates them.
* ObliviousToLove: Characters that are too dumb to realize that someone has a crush on them.

* ObliviouslySuperpowered: A character has powers but is either so stupid or in so much denial that they simply aren't aware of them - even while using them.

* PlanesTrainsAndImbeciles: Everybody that works in the travel industry is idiotically unhelpful.

* PowerfulButIncompetent: A character that has great power or ability, but is too dumb to actually accomplish anything with it.
* QuirkyDoctor: A doctor that is weird in a comedic way, and is often very incompetent.

* SelectiveObliviousness: A character intentionally ignores anything they wish to remain unaware of...
** IRejectYourReality: ...even at the expense of all notions of logic and objective truth.

* SmartJerkAndNiceMoron: An [[KindheartedSimpleton well-meaning moron]] that is often paired with [[InsufferableGenius a smarter but meaner character]].

* StrangerSafety: A stupid person always trusts complete strangers; never mind that that stranger could be an ax murderer or a thief.
* StrategySchmategy: When a character says "Tactics are for the weak!", they [[DidntThinkThisThrough should've thought that through.]]

* StupidSacrifice: A character performs a HeroicSacrifice that was completely unnecessary.
* StupidScientist: A scientist whose pursuit of knowledge serves as a demonstration of their lack of it.
* StupidSurrender: A character throws in the towel while they're not even losing.

* SuspectIsHatless: A character isn't smart enough to properly describe the suspect of a crime they just witnessed, instead giving a vague, nonesense description that doesn't narrow down to anyone.

* TheyJustDontGetIt: Characters that simply don't perceive obvious implications of what has been said [[OnlySaneMan by another]].

* TooDumbToFool: An character who proves that they are immune to deception by virtue of not even getting the point the liar's trying to make.

* TooIncompetentToOperateABlanket: Characters that unusually have problems with doing a simple task with a mundane object(s) out of sheer incompetence.
* TreacherousSpiritChase: An hallucination and/or delusion of a lost, loved one leads another character into peril.

* ValleyGirl: Women (usually teenage girls) that are more concerned with fashion than intelligence or any kind of acumen and also have an [[SimpletonVoice annoyingly exaggerated form]] of a California accent and always uses the word [[LikeIsLikeAComma "like" as if it's a comma.]]

** ChainedToABed: When sexual restraints respond with pervs going beyond what is openly said, shown, and what is proper and are usually done for no good reason.
** HaveYouToldAnyoneElse: [[HeKnowsTooMuch Someone has just acquired some information that, if spread, could be very dangerous to a morally bankrupt individual or group...]] So naturally, the threatened individual or group is ''the first one'' they share the information with. No points for guessing what happens next.
** OneDimensionalThinking: They could've just solved the problem if they went a different way.
** OnceIsNotEnough: No, you can't just whack the monster once and be done with it.
** WhatWereYouThinking: The StockPhrase used to call an idiot out on their idiocy.
** WhoWouldBeStupidEnough: Whenever someone asks who would fall for something so obvious an idiot will always fall for it or would do something anyone would be aware of or just wouldn't do with the mentality with common sense, an imbecile would always fall for it.

** HalfWittedHillbilly: Characters from rural areas are stereotyped as being backward, ignorant, or stupid.

* SelectiveStupidity: ManipulativeEditing done to make people appear stupid.

* BrainChain

* DamselScrappy: They constantly get themselves in danger because they're too dumb to take care of themselves, thus nobody likes them because of this.

* InfantilizationRetaliationE: Maybe don't treat a person or animal like a baby, especially babies. They may bite.

* InfantilizationRetaliation: Maybe don't treat a person or animal like a baby, especially babies. They may bite.