Everyone's an idiot some of the time (Scott Adams anecdote)

http://blog.brianguthrie.com/2011/06/20/everyones-an-idiot-some-of-the-time

by bguthrie • 15 years ago

19 5 15 years ago

blog.brianguthrie.com

The same rule - it's temporary - applies just as well to Genius for most of us. There are complete idiots and there are complete geniuses, but most of us will bounce into both categories from time to time.

There's an excellent TED talk from Elizabeth Gilbert [1] on the history of 'genius', which originated as a term to describe someone being supported by a genius, not that they were intrinsically a genius themselves and at all times.

Worth considering next time you completely stuff up; and probably even more valuable to consider next time you nail something perfectly, and believe it will continue.

[1] http://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_gilbert_on_genius.html

absconditus2• 15 years ago

This is egalitarian nonsense. Most people are not geniuses ever.

Idiocy is also not synonymous with ignorance or foolishness.

"An idiot differs from a fool (who is unwise) and an ignoramus (who is uneducated/an ignorant), neither of which refer to someone with low intelligence."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idiot

JacobAldridge2• 15 years ago

Very well then - apply the terminology that is more correct; rinse and repeat. I think the key point is recognising that there is inherent capability and there is behaviour, and we are each capable ot greater or more foolish behaviour at various times.

wolfgangK• 15 years ago

You might want to learn about "fundamental attribution error " as the truth is somewhere in between the op position and yours imo.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fundamental_attribution_error

Everyone's an idiot some of the time (Scott Adams anecdote)

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