Stupidity is overlooking or dismissing conspicuously crucial information. That is, missing key information that is right in front of us.
Stupidity isn’t the opposite of intelligence — its the cost of intelligence operating in a complex environment.
The probability of missing key information (stupidity) increases the more the following factors are present:
- Rushing or urgency
- Stress or tired
- Being outside of your normal environment (or your circle of competence)
- Information overload
- Fixating on an outcome
- Being in the presence of a group
- Being in the presence of an authority
All seven factors do not need to be present for stupidity to occur — they compound one another.
Most of the factors are ubiquitous in modern day life such as stress, rushing, and information overload. Therefore, our modern life is already susceptible to missing key information and making stupid mistakes.
All factors are present in US hospitals. Medical errors are the third-leading cause of death after heart disease and cancer.
So, what can we do?
- Recognize and know that you are in”the stupid zone”
- Pause. Just sit. Stop, before leaving your environment. If you can’t sit still for a minute, you don’t have the time not to!
- Have a buddy whose job is to watch us. That is their only task, and can’t have the same responsibility as us. Have your own “pit crew”.
- Don’t make decisions or do anything when in the stupid zone. For example, don’t sign a contract or drive.
When certain conditions are present I am so unaware of my environment that I can make really stupid mistakes and decisions.
