One could say that the constancy of foolishness in humanity is rooted in its unique freedom of choice and the ability to deviate from the intuitively correct path, which often leads to pride, stubbornness, and overconfidence.

Freedom’s Double-Edged Sword: The Inherent Folly of Human Choice

One could say that the constancy of foolishness in humanity is rooted in its unique freedom of choice and the ability to deviate from the intuitively correct path, which often leads to pride, stubbornness, and overconfidence. Unlike animals, for whom instinct dictates every action, man—the supreme creation—possesses freedom, and it is precisely this freedom that allows him to err, choose a path contrary to reason and even to the highest values.

As noted in one source, "Every bee knows what to do; every tiger and rhinoceros know what to do without a second thought. But the supreme creation of God, man, has freedom; he can act one way or another. And unfortunately, he always acts the latter way—that is, not as God would desire. And because of this, there is chaos, quarrels, fights, murders, and theft from one another" ( link txt). This passage emphasizes that the presence of freedom gives rise to choices which are not always correct, leading to repeated errors across millennia.

Another source draws attention to the close connection between pride and foolishness: "Stupidity begins where stubbornness and overconfidence appear, manifestations of pride. Pride leads to isolation—utter darkness. From pride comes vanity; from vanity, an inclination and inability for self-assessment; and from this, foolishness arises. Every proud person is foolish in his judgments, even if by nature he has a brilliant mind" ( link txt). This clearly shows that even if a person possesses high potential, excessive self-esteem and stubbornness lead to errors in judgment and actions, which can be seen as manifestations of folly.

It is also noted that the very ability to choose, which endows man with freedom, often turns into the factor that leads to his downfall: "Man is the highest creation of God, an astonishing being, yet he lives in a terribly wretched state...

Why does this happen?

Because all insects exist within the bounds of instinct, their lives strictly regulated by the will of God; they have no freedom... But man, the supreme creation of God, has freedom; he can act one way or another" ( link txt). This contrast emphasizes that the absence of rigid instinctual constraints affords man the opportunity to err repeatedly.

Thus, the recurring theme in many texts is that foolishness is an inherent part of human nature due to free will, which leads to manifestations of pride, stubbornness, and excessive self-confidence—inevitably fostering chaos and mistakes, despite all the accomplishments of the mind.