I think a lot of people mistake being clever, or cunning, or devious, for being intelligent. The problem with our society (and the world more generally) is that we have a lot of clever, cunning, and devious people in charge of things, and they are nearly all idiots.
yes, and also this early history of that word
Idiot -
"literally 'private person' (as opposed to one taking part in public affairs)"
Idios -
"one's own"
Idioumai -
"'to appropriate to oneself,' from idios 'personal, private'"