How can we avoid pitfalls that sometimes cause us to make stupid mistakes? How to cultivate the common sense and cognitive diversity required for successful decision-making. Here are 7 simplified lessons from “Why Smart People Can Be So Stupid” by Robert J. Sternberg. I wish I had it 30 years ago!
👉 Beware of Overconfidence 😎: Overconfidence is like being a gambler 🎲, Don’t ignore the inherent risks and uncertainties. They say: “Bet when you are sure”!. You know what!? Better not to bet at all!
👉 Avoid Confirmation Bias 🙅♂️: Lawyers 👨⚖️ normally argue a case with only one-sided evidence and ignoring facts that contradict their argument. How true is that? No offense!
👉 Recognise the Limits of Rationality 🧐: Do you like playing chess♟️? Recognise your rationality and its limits. Analysing the moves and counter-moves of the opponent. Sounds like war, isn’t it?
👉 Don’t Surrender to Groupthink 🤝: this is also referred to as peer-pressure. It has been extensively studied under ‘Group Dynamics’. Surrendering to groupthink is like being a sheep 🐑. So, don’t follow the herd blindly without questioning the direction or consequences of actions. Unless you want to be a sheep🐑.
👉 Embrace Cognitive Diversity 🧠: Embracing cognitive diversity is like being a gardener 🌱, cultivating a variety of plants with different strengths and weaknesses to create a balanced and sustainable ecosystem. Have you tried farming?
👉 Avoid the Illusion of Control 🕹️: This is like being a video game player 🎮, believing that you can master every level of the game, but failing to recognise the limitations of your skills and knowledge. How good you are with video games?
👉 Cultivate Common Sense 🤔: Be like a chef 👨🍳, using your intuition and experience to create a delicious and satisfying meal. So learn, grow and practice common sense [Which is NOT quite common]
Don’t Sink 