Why Stupid People Think They are Smart

Ever met someone who’s loudly confident yet clearly clueless? This 8-minute-46-second video unpacks the Dunning-Kruger effect, a cognitive bias where people with low competence overestimate their abilities. Psychologists David Dunning and Justin Kruger identified this in their 1999 Cornell study, showing how the least skilled often feel the most certain—like McArthur Wheeler, who robbed banks in 1995, believing lemon juice made him invisible to cameras. Spoiler: it didn’t.
We dive into historical examples, from Socrates’ humble wisdom to Napoleon’s overconfident Russian invasion, and explore why ignorance blinds us to itself. You’ll see how this bias fuels bad decisions in politics, business, and social media, where bold claims outshine nuance. But there’s hope—learn how feedback, doubt, and self-awareness can break the cycle.

Timestamps:
00:00 – Introduction

01:30 – What is the Dunning-Kruger effect?

03:45 – Historical cases (Wheeler, Socrates, Napoleon)

06:00 – Real-world impacts (politics, social media)

08:00 – Overcoming overconfidence

Hashtags: #DunningKrugerEffect #CognitiveBias #SelfAwareness #Psychology #Overconfidence
Attribution & Disclaimer: Narrated in my own words, inspired by Dunning and Kruger’s 1999 study (public domain). Verify accuracy with your own research.