->''"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits."''
-->-- '''Albert Einstein'''

All too often, a plot thread depends on one or more characters doing something really stupid. They don't have any chance of doing the smart thing, because then the plot-driving conflicts wouldn't happen.

Even if the stupidity is an organic outgrowth of prior characterization, that doesn't necessarily make it contrivance-free. As addressed in TheMovie and [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] in the "Homer's Enemy" episode of ''TheSimpsons'', the continued tolerance of Homer by his friends, his family, and his employer -- indeed, his very ''[[TooDumbToLive survival]]'' -- is simply unbelievable at this point.

Contrived stupidity commonly causes things like the collapse of ASimplePlan in a SitCom or the effectiveness of SchmuckBait in SlasherMovies. It is often accompanied by the meta-stupidity of the other characters' ignorance of [[HanlonsRazor Hanlon's Razor]]. It is vulnerable to FridgeLogic and may result in a WallBanger.

Not to be confused with a RalphWiggum, who is just plain dumb, no plot-serving contrivance about it.

Contrast with IntelligenceTropes.
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!!Tropes

* AchievementsInIgnorance
* AdultsAreUseless
* ApatheticCitizens
* BlatantLies
* BullyingADragon
* ButThouMust
** StupidityIsTheOnlyOption
* CanNotSpitItOut
* ConflictBall
* CreditCardPlot
* CultureBlind
* DamselFightAndFlightResponse
* DamselScrappy
* DeusExitMachina
* [[DidntThinkThisThrough Didn't Think This Through]]
* DugInDeeper
* DyingLikeAnimals
* FeigningIntelligence
* ForgotICouldFly
* [[{{ptitlesi1n36pj}} Forgot I Couldn't Swim]]
* ForgottenPhlebotinum
* ForgotToFeedTheMonster
* GenreBlindness
** ContractualGenreBlindness
** RealityShowGenreBlindness
* HoldingBackThePhlebotinum (sometimes)
* IdiotBall
** DistressBall
** HeroBall
*** OutOfSightOutOfMind
*** VillainExitStageLeft
** VillainBall
*** BondVillainStupidity
*** CutLexLuthorACheck
*** GeneralFailure
*** JustBetweenYouAndMe
*** RevealingCoverup
* IdiotPlot
* IgnoredEnemy
* IJustShotMarvinInTheFace
* [[{{ptitlexc2j6p5n}} I'll Never Tell You What I'm Telling You]]
* JustEatGilligan
* {{Just Eat The MacGuffin}}
* MercyLead
* TheMillstone
* MistakenForServant
* NeverRecycleYourSchemes
* NoLongerWithUs
* NoPeripheralVision
* NotAZombie
* PaperThinDisguise
* PingPongNaivete
* PlotInducedStupidity
* PlotSensitiveSnoopingSkills
* PoorCommunicationKills
* ReedRichardsIsUseless
* SanityHasAdvantages
* SelectiveObliviousness
* SelectiveStupidity
* SidetrackedByTheAnalogy
* StupidSacrifice
* SuicidalOverconfidence
* TooDumbToLive
* ViolationOfCommonSense
* TheVodkaIsGoodButTheMeatIsRotten
* WhatAnIdiot
** ChainedToABed
** [[{{ptitlek166hpb9}} Have You Told Anyone Else?]]
** MistakenForIndex
** OnceIsNotEnough
* WhyDontYouJustShootHim
* TheWilyPrinciple
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