Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.
Stupid is a word children should not be allowed to say. Not because it is a "bad" word per se, but because it is a good one. It is the right word where well applied, but the wrong one where wrongly applied since it can do more damage than other words. That is because it is a strong word. It belongs to a class of words that carry their own weight with them wherever they go. For that reason, "stupid" is a dangerous word. Not so dangerous as to be banned, but dangerous enough as to be reserved for the mature.
Stupid is no more bad than swords are, but just as dangerous. A sword is a good thing in the hands of a gentleman, but a bad thing in the hands of a child. So, children should not say "stupid" for the same reason they shouldn't be given matches -- that is to say, they don't know how to use it yet and can't be trusted to remember.
Beyond the matter of danger, there is also the matter of propriety. You can use a gun to dig a hole in your front yard, but it will take a while and the cops will be called before you're done. That's because it is the wrong tool for the job. It CAN make a dent in your yard, but it cannot do so without raising a fuss in your neighborhood. You CAN use a machete to cut your carrots, but you cannot do it without making your dinner guests uneasy. Stupid is a word that is perfect where it fits the occasion and a mess wherever it doesn't. In other words, it causes more trouble than it solves when it is misapplied or misused.
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