Have you heard about the Dunning-Kruger effect? Even if you have there is always more to know. And that is what Dunning-Kruger is about.
We know much less than we think we do.
And a little knowledge on any subject makes us overconfident idiots.
We have reached Mount Stupid.
Many stay there. “I know it all.” They believe they have learned all there is to know about fixing a car, running a country or coaching a football team – from the sideline. No one is more confident than a person who knows a little.
If it is about a local sports team, these overconfident idiots are annoying. If it is a person in power, it is dangerous. The business leader who listens to no one. A few years later he is bankrupt and has left thousands of people out of work. Or a political leader who believes he knows what is best for his people, leading to a violent uprising.
Even for regular people like you and me, staying on Mount Stupid can cause much damage.
We believe that only A causes B. “The government caused the financial crisis.” Without looking at our own behaviour. Such as taking up dubious loans and credits to buy a big house or a fancy car.
If you want to be mature, you need to climb down from Mount Stupid.
Accept that:
1. There is always more to learn about any subject.
2. Your knowledge is, likely, limited.
I remember arriving in Guatemala convinced that my beginner’s course in Spanish would take me a long way. I was not even able to order a meal. The descent from Mount Stupid was fast and steep.
We all behave like overconfident idiots from time to time. The important thing is to realise that and get rid of our overconfidence as quickly as we can.
I have known professors and worldwide experts. What they often have in common is humility. They know so much, but they also acknowledge what they do not know. That confident humility is a sure sign of Maturity. People on Mount Stupid represent the opposite.
Please enjoy this article on the Dunning-Kruger effect.
Brought to by the excellent Melanie Trecek-King at Thinking is Power.
The next time you decide to rob a bank, do not wear lemon juice 😁
