Eric Berne described the game of "Stupid" as having "the thesis...

'I laugh with you at my own

clumsiness and stupidity.'"[11] He points out that the player has the advantage of lowering other
people's expectations, and so evading responsibility and work; but that he or she may still come
through under pressure, like the proverbially stupid younger son.[12]
Wilfred Bion considered that psychological projection created a barrier against learning anything
new, and thus its own form of pseudo-stupidity.[13]