blind leading the blind


the blind leading the blind

A situation in which incompetent or ignorant people are guided or taught by an equally incompetent or ignorant person. Don't ask me to tutor someone in algebra because it would be the blind leading the blind. That project stalled as soon as it became a case of the blind leading the blind—no one knew what they were doing!See also: blind, leading

blind leading the blind

Those lacking the skills or knowledge for something are being guided by equally inept individuals. For example, Bill's teaching his son carpentry; that's a case of the blind leading the blind. The expression is found in the New Testament as one of Jesus's teachings (Matthew 15:14; Luke 6:39). [c. 1600] See also: blind, leading

blind leading the blind, the

Those who try to teach or guide others, even though they know no more than their pupils. The phrase comes from the Bible, presented as one of Jesus’s teachings in the books of Matthew (15:14) and Luke (6:39). It is quoted by numerous writers thereafter and is a proverb in John Heywood’s collection in 1546: “Where the blynd leadth the blynd, both fall in the dike.”See also: blind, leading