Intelligence becomes dangerous when it becomes directionless.

Brilliance without orientation rationalizes the status quo instead of challenging it. Orientation disciplines intelligence into coherent action toward a self-chosen trajectory.

Intelligence is widely treated as a universal good. Societies invest heavily in education, analytics, automation, and cognitive performance, assuming that more intelligence will naturally yield better outcomes. This assumption is increasingly false. Intelligence without direction does not elevate systems; it amplifies their flaws. It sharpens inefficiency, legitimizes confusion, and gives sophisticated language to empty goals.