Why Smart People Believe Stupid Things

What causes Delusion? The prevailing view is that people adopt false beliefs because they’re too stupid or ignorant to grasp the truth. But just as often, the opposite is true: many delusions prey not on dim minds but on bright ones. And this has serious implications for education, society, and you personally.

In this video in collaboration with Gurwinder, we explore the reasons why intelligent people believe irrational things and what can be done to avoid the allure of delusion.

[PedroIgori]

We need to stop conflating educated with smart

[steveelliott]

George Orwell said "Some ideas are so stupid only an intellectual would believe them."

[michaelplaysgames]

“Unintelligent people are more easily mislead by other people, while intelligent people are more easily mislead by themselves.” The fact that I didn’t realize this earlier is eye opening. Wow

[diedaderda]

Determined people appear sexy. Thoughtful people appear insecure. That's why control is handed over to stubborn people in our society.
Is there any way out?

[DouglasAtkinson]

“Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away.”
― Philip K. Dick

[randywise]

Just because someone is smart, it doesn't mean they are wise.

[jonathansurrey]

There's also the "fallacy fallacy", where people use their own knowledge of cognitive biases to dismiss legitimate arguments

[gavinminion]

So where do we go next?

If a person is curious and lets go of their ego, questions their own beliefs and tries to be humble. Then there is a possibility that this person could come to understand one or more of the problems facing the world.
If a second person remains incurious, sticks solidly to the belief they think is correct and disregards humility, then presumably this task becomes much harder.
However, only the second person would be thought of as being able to wield power. People will gravitate towards the person who says "The solution to this problem is easy and I know it" over the person who says "The solution to this problem is complex and I don't know if I can solve it, but I will try".

Time and again we vote for people who appear strong, determined and sure of their beliefs, even though these are probably the very people who might be least curious and therefore most prone to delusional thinking.

So, where do we go next?

[armorbearer]

You reminded me of what Theodore Roosevelt said about thieves. He said, "A man who has never gone to school may steal from a freight car; but if he has a university education, he may steal the whole railroad".

[kaunas]

Intelligence is overrated, while honesty is underrated.

[Anubisdream]

Someone once told me I was “thinking myself stupid.” I feel this is what was meant. And they weren’t wrong. Over the years I’ve been mortified at my ability to rationalize some ridiculous positions that slowly unraveled as I became untethered from the agenda that navigated me towards the ideas.

[HumbleBill]

So, in short: "If you master debate too much, you could go blind."

[AfterSkool]

"Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is knowing Not to put it in a fruit salad." - Brian O'Driscoll

[gerberjoanne]

"Without the right personal qualities, more education won't make you a master of your biases, it will only make you a better servant of them." Wow! That is so well said!

[mpaczkow]

I remember in grad school that my advisor would admonish me whenever I used the word “believe” when describing data or information. He argued that “belief” requires no evidence so avoid the phrase “I believe …”. This practice made me, through my life, to be more critical in evaluating information and adopt an epistemic philosophy.

[yvesgomes]

The gist of contemporary science (critical rationalism) offers a very helpful foundation against biases:

Science is about trying to prove that you're wrong - not that you're right.

Strictly speaking, there should be no such thing as defending an idea. We should all mercilessly attack ideas. When it seems we may be defending them, we should be merely clarifying them.

[jameseberts]

Our modern education system stifles curiosity. When I was in school, in the 1970's, we were taught to question everything, if not by our teachers, by our peers. This was an off-shoot of the 1960's, where "question authority" was a mantra. I find that young people now have little curiosity to question what they are taught. This is a credit, and I mean that negatively, to our educational system, where they have learned to prey on young people's naivety and idealism. As a result, maturity and common sense has been delayed and sometimes completely shut down in millions of people.

[alewis]

"Trust those who seek truth. Doubt those who claim they've found it."
I heard this about twenty years ago, don't remember who gets the credit.

[alexv]

I've always expressed this idea as "being good at one thing has absolutely no bearing on one's skill at any other thing."

[gamtamr]

"The constant interrogation of my own beliefs and motives" is exactly what makes others see me as insecure.... when truth is that I'm anything but... I love learning... but resent it's effect... this... what you've presented... has even more facets beyond what you've described, and I absolutely applaud your efforts... please make more videos.