Useful idiot

Saturday, 2024-03-23 Word of the Day: Useful idiot

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WotD: Useful idiot

As the term useful idiot has been thrown around quite a bit in the media lately, it’s important to understand what it means and how it can be used to describe certain individuals.


A useful idiot is someone who is unwittingly manipulated by a more powerful political force to promote their agenda despite not fully understanding the implications of their actions.


This term has been used frequently in the political sphere and has become particularly relevant in recent years.

One example of the term being used in the media is in relation to certain political leaders who have been accused of being useful idiots for foreign powers.

For instance, former US President Donald Trump has been accused of being a useful idiot for Russian President Vladimir Putin, as his policies and statements are seen as benefiting Russia more than the US.

Another example of the term being used is in relation to conspiracy theorists who promote baseless theories, such as the QAnon movement.

These individuals are seen as useful idiots for extremist groups who use their platforms to spread misinformation and propaganda.

It’s important to note that being a useful idiot is not always intentional.

Individuals may genuinely believe they are acting in their country’s or community’s best interests.

However, it’s important to be aware of the potential consequences of one’s actions and to consider the source of the information being promoted.

I’ll leave you with the image of Tucker Carlson ‘interviewing’ Vladimir Putin.

He was a useful idiot for Trump when he was one of the main contributors on Fox News.

Now that he is on his own, he has become a useful idiot for Putin due to his lack of historical knowledge and dimwittedness.  


Flesch-Kincaid Readability Test

This post is understandable by someone with at least a 10th-grade education (age 16).  

On the Flesch-Kincaid reading-ease test, this post scores 46.  

The easier a passage is to read, the higher the score on a scale of 0 – 100. 


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