I used to publish this amazing article and then I got a stupid letter which told us some things we didn't know about the Basic Laws of Human Stupidity:

"The Basic Laws of Human Stupidity" was written originally in English by Carlo M. Cipolla in the early Seventies and circulated amongh his friends as a photocopy.

"In August 1976 it was printed in Bologna as a thin pamphlet, still not for sale, but as Christmas gift for Cipolla's friends and colleagues.

"In 1987 the "Whole Earth Review" published the text stating that "It came round about by way of reader Sam Keen, who sent us a thin gray monograph printed in Bologna, Italy. The trail eventually led to Carlo M. Cipolla, the author, who is currently Professor of Economics at UC Berkeley". This publication was not authorized by Cipolla.

"In 1988 we published the text in book form, together with another essay, under the title "Allegro ma non troppo" and, according to the contract with Carlo M. Cipolla, we have world rights for this title.

"We agree with you that the English text should be made available to people, but in legal form, as for all the other languages and against payment of royalties, therefore we ask you again to remove the text from you [sic] website.

"Most of the web sites have removed it and we will now proceed legally against the few which didn't."

Contact:

Paola Pecchioli
Foreign Rights
Società editrice il Mulino
Strada Maggiore, 37
40125 Bologna
Tel. +39(051) 256011
paola.pecchioli@mulino.it