blind leading the blind

The phrase "blind leading the blind" is an idiom used to describe a situation where a person who lacks knowledge, skill, or experience is receiving guidance from another person who is equally uninformed. The expression has ancient roots, appearing in the Katha Upanishad and most notably in the Christian Bible (Matthew 15:14), where it serves as a metaphor for spiritual ignorance. It was also famously depicted in a 1568 painting by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, symbolizing the inevitable failure that arises when the incompetent lead the incompetent.

Usage of the term is contested in modern discourse. Many speakers continue to use it as a standard English idiom, viewing it as a "fossilized" metaphor concerning a lack of foresight or wisdom rather than physical sight. However, disability rights advocates and proponents of person-first language often categorize the phrase as ableist. The criticism stems from the fact that the idiom equates physical disability with ignorance, confusion, or futility, potentially stigmatizing blind people by using their condition as a shorthand for failure.

Example:
"Asking the intern to train the new hire without any supervision was a classic case of the blind leading the blind."

Example:
"Neither of us knew how to read the blueprints, so our attempt to build the shed was essentially the blind leading the blind."