The crazy person, unable to reason their ways to conclusions, sounds like a certain American president at the moment...
Thanks for the great post! I'd heard about the 4 levels of knowledge (I don't know I know, I know I know, I know I don't know, I don't know I don't know) but I didn't know the lowest level had a name (meta ignorance!) 🙏
Reminds me of the danger of the Dunning-Kruger effect wherein the people possessing the least knowledge about a certain topic are the ones who are overconfident and loud, while those who are actual experts on the subject choose to remain reserved on these topics.
And the scary thing is that they actually believe whatever they say is the bible truth, whether these are specious or are actually making sense.
But I am also reminded of a quote that goes along somewhere like these types of people categorized under the Dunning-Kruger effect are the ones who are actually getting rich compared to those who overthink and overanalyze every decision.
So I guess there are levels to this discussion and that the term meta-ignorance at least pinpoints the lowest level.
I thought about how I felt reading this and where I was situating myself in this hierarchy of stupidity. I suspect that there’s a touch of meta-ignorance in us all. Though I don’t know that.
The dictionary meaning of the word stupid is ‘having or showing a great lack of intelligence or common sense.’
Intelligence is something you are born with. You saying being stupid is a character flaw is fundamentally wrong. If you are born with an intellectual disability, or low iq you are not overcoming this with hard work, nor is laziness or smugness led to your low level of intelligence. In fact, it is just like crazy people’s mental disorder affecting their ability to think. I’d be interested to know how you view the true definition of the word stupid and whether you think it’s so ingrained in our vocabulary, it’s no longer an ableist slur?
The crazy person, unable to reason their ways to conclusions, sounds like a certain American president at the moment...
Thanks for the great post! I'd heard about the 4 levels of knowledge (I don't know I know, I know I know, I know I don't know, I don't know I don't know) but I didn't know the lowest level had a name (meta ignorance!) 🙏
Reminds me of the danger of the Dunning-Kruger effect wherein the people possessing the least knowledge about a certain topic are the ones who are overconfident and loud, while those who are actual experts on the subject choose to remain reserved on these topics.
And the scary thing is that they actually believe whatever they say is the bible truth, whether these are specious or are actually making sense.
But I am also reminded of a quote that goes along somewhere like these types of people categorized under the Dunning-Kruger effect are the ones who are actually getting rich compared to those who overthink and overanalyze every decision.
So I guess there are levels to this discussion and that the term meta-ignorance at least pinpoints the lowest level.
Can there be unknown knowns ? Things we don't know we know
I thought about how I felt reading this and where I was situating myself in this hierarchy of stupidity. I suspect that there’s a touch of meta-ignorance in us all. Though I don’t know that.
And your book isn’t yet published in the UK - so we have the (somewhat flimsy) basis for a cross-cultural study 😉
Russell said it wisely: "The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt"
The dictionary meaning of the word stupid is ‘having or showing a great lack of intelligence or common sense.’
Intelligence is something you are born with. You saying being stupid is a character flaw is fundamentally wrong. If you are born with an intellectual disability, or low iq you are not overcoming this with hard work, nor is laziness or smugness led to your low level of intelligence. In fact, it is just like crazy people’s mental disorder affecting their ability to think. I’d be interested to know how you view the true definition of the word stupid and whether you think it’s so ingrained in our vocabulary, it’s no longer an ableist slur?
this was a concept that even myself needed to stop and read. Very insightful. I hope there will be a thesis to back it up.
Doing everything you can to stay away from Unconscious Incompetence is a good starter here, William.
Or, if that is too much, just remember Forrest Gump: 'Stupid is as stupid does.'
An in-depth explanation on the topic to be sure. Very well-said.
Thanks for clarifying the 3.
This is refreshing and entertaining. Must share! Thank you.
Stupidity is writing so much about stupidity.
Incredibly interesting take