Intuitively, one would think that a cure for stupidity would be one of gaining more knowledge. That would be true, but knowledge in this case isn’t what we imagine it to be. The knowledge that can lead to a cure for stupidity is knowledge gained by studying oneself. And that knowledge doesn’t come from a classroom, seminar, or YouTube video. Before exploring how our self-knowledge is learned, it’s helpful to describe how our brain can lead us to be stupid.
The frontal area of our brain is where we do rational thinking. It is often called the slow-thinking part of the brain. When we sense a threat, are called upon to make a quick decision, or are distracted or careless in our thinking, the amygdala region of our brain overrides the frontal area. This region of the brain is called the first-thinking brain.
Stupidity is actually a neural function that can lead to us doing things that look bewildering in retrospect. Some of these are due to our biases, including:
- Confirmation biases–when we are prone to taking action on information that confirms our prior beliefs.
- Predictability biases–taking action based on our belief of what is likely to be the outcome based upon previous experiences, which may not be relevant.
- Anchoring biases–taking action based on the initial information we receive.
- Group-think biases–taking actions based upon what others think.
- Availability biases–taking action based upon information that is the most accessible.
Is there a cure for these acts of stupidity when our brains may be influencing us in ways in which we are unaware? There are three keys to the cure: Time, Reflection, and Courage.
Time is needed to let the slow-thinking area of our brain to have time to process the situation. Many stupid acts are made in haste because we felt we had to act quickly.
Reflection is needed to help us think about the biases that may be influencing how we think. This often requires a level of self-awareness that is challenging our egos.
Once we have had the time for reason and an analysis of our biases, it may take courage to do the non-stupid thing. Why is that? Often, the smart action may put us at odds with our identity groups (e.g., think of peer pressure you might have experienced as a teenager).
Giving yourself time, practicing reflection, and being courageous requires discipline. And discipline can be tough at times. But the cure in this case far surpasses the consequences of stupid acts which can be haunting over long periods of time.
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“Strange as it may seem, no amount of learning can cure stupidity, and formal education only fortifies it.”–Stephen Vizinczey (author)