“Inferior intellects generally succeeded best. For, aware of their own deficiencies, and fearing the capacity of their opponents . . . they struck boldly and at once.”

—  Thucydides, in “History of the Peloponnesian War”

To be fair, though … this quote could address American public discourse in general. Or, hell, people in general.  How many of us know that person who acts tough (or “real”) because they have no logic or evidence to support their argument?