The "Manual of Idiocy" by Dionysis Charitopoulos is a manual for self-discovery, a condensed philosophy of life centered on cognition and understanding, intelligence and foolishness, stupidity and the stupid.

The related phenomena are examined both from their historical and anthropological perspectives as well as being clinical symptoms of modern life. The author himself meaningfully notes on the back cover of the book: "Since we all underestimate the number of idiots among us and from time to time we are surprised by 'above suspicion' faces, we probably need to reintroduce ourselves..."

Dionysis Charitopoulos has divided his original aphorisms into 88 sections that relate to an equal number of cases/findings/interpretations of human stupidity. The book can be read from beginning to end but also without an obvious order, much like a collection of poems or aphorisms.