Summary

The article reflects on the concept of "stupidity," suggesting that while stupid actions are prevalent, they stem from a lack of awareness and critical thinking rather than inherent stupidity, and emphasizes the importance of living in the moment and considering the consequences of our actions to avoid such behavior.

Abstract

The author of the article ponders the apparent rise of what is perceived as stupid behavior in society, questioning how common sense has been seemingly inverted. The text argues that stupidity is not an innate trait but rather a result of not thinking things through, often due to a disconnect from the present moment. It suggests that individuals have an inherent intelligence and survival instinct that can be overshadowed by past experiences or future expectations. The pursuit of happiness is presented as a driving force behind actions, yet the author posits that true happiness may be compromised by not fully considering the outcomes of those actions. The article concludes by advocating for the practice of critical thinking and self-reflection to prevent "stupid" decisions, lamenting the decline of these skills in society, and inviting readers to engage in deeper contemplation and discussion on the topic.

Opinions

The author believes that stupidity is not a permanent state but rather a series of actions that can be avoided with mindfulness and critical thinking.
There is a sentiment that society may be losing its grasp on common sense and the ability to make smart decisions.
The pursuit of happiness is seen as a primary motivator for human behavior, but the author suggests that this pursuit often lacks proper foresight and consideration.
The article emphasizes the Buddhist philosophy of living in the present moment as a way to avoid doing stupid things.
The author asserts that instinctual reactions and quick decisions can sometimes lead to better outcomes than overthinking.
The author mocks the idea of "stupid questions," implying that the real issue is not asking questions but rather not thinking critically about the answers.
A call to action is made for individuals to engage in more reflective thinking, asking themselves why they do things, what they expect, and how they plan to achieve their goals.
The author expresses concern over the apparent decline of critical thinking skills in society and encourages readers to practice asking themselves "dumb questions" to arrive at smarter answers.

You Can’t Fix Stupid, You Can Avoid It

Since when did stupid become the new smart?

Who am I to talk, it’s only my stupid opinion.

I did many stupid things. I made many mistakes, but I learnt from everything. I still make mistakes; I still learn from them. Nobody is perfect.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Really. Have you been thinking this lately? What the hell is going on? Does it seem like the whole world is upsides down? The questions just keep coming. You can’t help it. Things that were thought of as common sense have been turned around.

What’s up is down. Right is wrong. Good is bad. Nothing makes sense anymore. What is this thing we call common sense anyway?

There had seemed to be this inherent knowledge built into us.

It comes from our need to survive.

In its most primitive form, it is our natural reaction to events in our lives. You know there are times you get some feeling something is not right. You anticipate danger or you get the feeling of fear. Somehow you know something you are not sure how, or why.

You just seem to have some knowledge.

Not that anyone is stupid

Have to love the line from Forest Gump, “Stupid Is As Stupid Does” that’s a fact.

It’s not that we’re stupid, we just do stupid things. Inherent in everything there is some intelligence. Where it comes from is the great mystery of life.

Have you ever thought about how smart you are?

We never give much thought to the many wonders surrounding us. Our ability to think and ponder these miracles that make this all possible is a gift we seem to never open.

What causes this loss of awareness?

Be here now in the moment

This saying is contributed to the philosophy of Buddhism.

To be in the moment. It’s when our minds wander and move from the past to the future and we skip the moment. We get so involved in trying to live, that life passes us by. When we lose our awareness we can do stupid things for stupid reasons.

We tend to do stupid things because of something in our past or something we think will be our future.

Let’s take our ultimate goal in life, happiness.

Why would happiness be our ultimate goal? Because, why do we do anything, if not the pursuit of happiness what is it? Whatever we do in life, and with our life is to satisfy a need. What do we expect what filling these needs will do for us.

Make us happy?

Let’s think about this

I don’t think many of us do things that would make us unhappy. Not consciously anyway.

Perhaps somehow we are or could be. Personally, I think it’s more likely we’re not doing much thinking about it at all. There’s the reason, if you were really thinking about it, would you have done it? Probably not.

Before you did that stupid thing, you would have realized what the outcome would have been. That little voice in your head would have said.

What the hell are you thinking!

By giving your action some thought, you could have foreseen the outcome. Sometimes we don’t have the luxury of time to think. Somehow this is when we make the best decisions.

How could this be. Our instincts kick in?

In the end, How do we fix stupid?

If there are no stupid questions, then what kind of questions do stupid people ask? Do they get smart just in time to ask questions?

Scott Adams

There’s no fixing stupid. There is fixing us from doing stupid things. The only thing hard about it is, having time to think. Stop what your doing and take a second and ask yourself Why am I doing this? What am I expecting it to do for me? How is that going to happen?

Why am I doing this? To make myself happy? Happy when? Today. Or it was something that would have made you happy 10 years ago. Perhaps next year. For every time, there is a reason. Is the reason, now?
What am I expecting? Happiness? Are you sure? You think this will bring you happiness now. Maybe so. Then again it might bring with it a whole set of problems you “NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT IT”. Sorry to shout be that’s the point. Thinking.
How is it going to happen? How is doing what you are about to do, going to accomplish your goal? When you give it some thought you realize it could never happen. Not this way.

Sad, how critical thinking is disappearing from society. It’s not too hard. All you have to do is ask yourself some dumb question. You just might come up with the smart answer.

Do you enjoy reading about things we’re all thinking? I’m sharing some of my thoughts with the hope you’ll share some of yours. Meet me over at Medium, Thanks.

To a wonderful life.