L'Homme stupide

First published in Paris in 1919, L'Homme stupide is an essay examining human irrationality, social behavior, and the contradictions of civilization. Charles Richet reflects on war, superstition, customs, and humanity's repeated failures to act wisely. Written in a critical and often provocative tone after the First World War, the work offers a historical perspective on early twentieth-century ideas about human nature. Some of the author's views, including racist and eugenic arguments, are now widely discredited and should be understood in their historical context.