That statement of Butler’s is fully of dumbassery, sure, but in my experience most people are only smart in one or two areas, if that. The rest they are just utter blithering idiots, less clueful than even the average kindergartner.

Exceptional people are knowledgeable in a dozen or so. I am one of those.

And really absurdly nonpareil amazingly exceptional people are knowledgeable and capable in dozens of different fields. There are only a few of those who have ever lived. Archimedes was one. John von Neumann was another. There aren’t many more, really.

So, yeah, most people are complete dumbasses other than in the area on which they are laser-focused.