Sci-fi novellas can be just as meaningful and probing as novels (most of mine can be found in the list on the “Free Stuff and Contests” web page at his website). One of the best is a classic by C. M. Kornbluth, “The Marching Morons.” This was long before Trump even inherited his millions; in fact, he might have still been in diapers! (For all the crap he spreads, he probably should still be.) Kornbluth’s humorous albeit dystopian story first appeared in Galaxy in 1951 (back when ‘zines weren’t some editors’ little fiefdoms—or maybe they’ve always been that way?). It’s reappeared in collections ever since, which is why it’s a classic. The theme is simple: In the future, stupid people outnumber smart ones, and some of the latter feel compelled to take care of the former, although those smart ones should have just let good old Darwinian evolution take its course.

We’re living in a real dystopia now caused by really stupid people, and that’s not funny. In fact, it’s frightening. Human beings aren’t subjected to the pruning action of Darwinian evolution anymore. The stupid gene is becoming dominant. Dumb animals die. Stupid humans survive because, even if they rail against Obamacare and modern medical technology, they still reap its benefits. Until now with COVID-19. They’ve set out to kill themselves and take a lot of smart innocents with them. Kornbluth’s marching morons weren’t necessarily evil, just stupid. Our real-life marching morons, with Trump at the lead, are evil warriors in the Devil’s army.

Trumpism provided the first signs that the stupid gene was becoming dominant, even before COVID. The moron in the White House is the David Koresh for the cult of stupidity, a narcissistic dummkoph with zero leadership qualities who won’t mind killing all his followers. “I don’t believe the numbers.” “Kids are immune.” “Hydroxychloroquine is the cure.” “Drink some disinfectant.” Trump and his followers’ beliefs and conspiracy theories make it easy to see how stupid they all are, unscientific Neanderthals who are much worse than the stupid people in Kornbluth’s story because they’re evil. And they’re doing a lot of damage; the facts and stats don’t lie.

Of course, Trumpism doesn’t have a monopoly on stupidity. COVID has uncovered large numbers of people possessing the stupid gene, people usually managing to hide in the general population because Darwinian evolution no longer weeds out that gene. The US is by far and many times over the worst of all industrialized nations in controlling the pandemic, and the primary reason is stupidity. This is an indictment against all the stupid people who have let the virus get out of control. The logic one must generally apply is: Every Trumper is stupid and propagates the virus, but sadly not every person who propagates it is a Trumper. Yet it is Trumpism that has made wearing a mask into a political statement.

Even if a vaccine is approved, there are also stupid people who won’t get the shot. They’re not all anti-vaccine fanatics either, but they’re all stupid. They’re the ones who won’t wear face masks, put partying in large crowds over safety concerns, and go to COVID parties. Some, especially Trumpers, even crow that COVID is all a liberal plot, or the Deep State’s, whatever the hell that is. They don’t really think about it too much; they just echo what they hear on Fox News and radio broadcasts from conspiracy nuts. There’s no telling, though, how many more idiots the virus will uncover. It does a good job of that.

Whether the current pandemic of stupidity is nurture or nature at work (probably both, because the stupidity gene seems to be dominant), we need to stop its progress in order to save the world. Let’s get breedin’, smart folks! Time to make a lot of babies so we can avoid thundering herds of marching morons that leave the four horsemen of the apocalypse in their dust as they go over the COVID precipice.

I’m not serious about the need for a baby boom of smart people, of course. The planet already has enough people. We just need to control the stupid people and not let them have any political or commercial power, something akin to what happens in Kornbluth’s novella. The problem is too many people are as stupid as Trump, which is being alarmingly stupid. Should I expect an insulting tweet from the Tweeter-in-Chief attacking me and this article? Never. He’s “a f&^%ing moron” (SecState Tillerson quote) who never reads! (Not even his intelligence briefings, a name lost on him, the man who paid someone to take his SATs.) Most of his followers don’t read either. Fortunately less than 50% of the US population is affected by the stupid gene, but that percentage is growing. “Danger, Will Robinson!” said the robot. Anyone who’s smart should pay attention to that wily machine, not just Will. Protect the world from the stupid gene with your vote this November! That’s the short order cure for this pandemic of stupidity.

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Comments are always welcome!

A Time-Traveler’s Guide through the Multiverse. We were still sipping the champagne and going over the experimental data when I jumped back from my bench. A shimmering in the air coalesced into the trophy that appeared a foot above the bench and fell onto it.

“Did someone in the past send it back?” I said after calling her over.

This sci-fi rom-com is now available wherever quality ebooks are sold.

Around the world and to the stars! In libris libertas!

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