This article explores the Dunning-Kruger Effect, a cognitive bias that explains why incompetent people often overestimate their abilities, leading to flawed decision-making and an inability to recognize their own shortcomings. It examines the impact of this effect on online discourse, particularly in the context of political debates, and discusses the challenges of navigating a world where misinformation and unfounded opinions are readily spread.
If you are really, really stupid, then it's impossible for you to know that you are really, really stupid, said comedian John Cleese. It is election time. Campaign paraphernalia are annoying. Ads are irritating. Social media is exasperating. And many are resigned that the result is going to be frustrating. To be able to do something, we must first understand.
\On social media, we witness how freely anyone can appear like an expert armed with full conviction of expertise and armored by solid confidence in expressing what, in fact, is mere plain and baseless opinion. Social media has given birth to self-professed political analysts. It has become an ocean of opinionated exchanges leading to senseless arguments short of sound logical resolution. The freedom of expression has crossed beyond the border of responsible content and logical context to trigger the battle of reasonable conduct. \Some are simply ignorant, yet proud. Others are aggressively fierce — poised to kill or die — yet stand on meaningless ground. Worse, some are even making a living through digital monetization by simply propagating insubstantial statements of pure ignorance. Others have become successful in generating a flock of its kind blindly applauding their statement enslaved by confirmation bias. Nonsense discourse fills the air while some members of the competent and thinking class, who cannot tolerate the prevalence of unintelligent discourse, are making an exodus from the toxic social media. The others remain patiently engaged in the futile battle for content, context and conduct, and become the faint voice in the wilderness hoping against hope to make sense. How can you shun a fool who knows not and knows not that he knows not, as an Arabian quote asks? \The science of stupid Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge (Charles Darwin). The incompetent people are often observed to display inappropriate confidence which in their perspective feels like knowledge. This is scientifically explained by the Dunning-Kruger Effect, a type of cognitive bias named after sociologists-researchers David Dunning and Justin Kruger. Their work is entitled 'Unskilled and Unaware of It: How Difficulties in Recognizing One's Own Incompetence Lead to Inflated Self-Assessments' ('Journal of Personality and Social Psychology,' 1999). Controversial as it may be, the Dunning-Kruger bias remains a reference to the 'science of stupid.' \Dunning and Kruger established data showing that most people believe that they are smarter and more capable than they really are. It presents empirical evidence that most people are overconfident about their abilities. Worse, the least competent people are the most overconfident. \Incompetent but overconfident The incompetent people have a low ability to recognize incompetence. Their low cognitive ability makes them overestimate their own capabilities. This is aggravated by their poor self-awareness. In a harsher but more direct-to-the-point statement — they are too stupid to know about their stupidity. The researchers found that incompetent people are not only poor performers but are also unable to accurately assess and recognize the quality of their own work. They overestimate their own skill levels. This leads to their failure to recognize their own mistakes, and even the lack of skills. And consequently, they may also fail to recognize the genuine skills and expertise of other people. Dunning has pointed out that the very knowledge and skills necessary to be good at a task are the exact same qualities that a person needs to recognize that they are not good at that task. So, if a person lacks those abilities, they remain not only bad at that task but ignorant of their own inability. \On the mount of stupid The incompetent people have the tendency to use mental shortcuts that allow them to make decisions quickly. They engage heuristics — solving problems faster than they would if they did all the computing. They may also find patterns that do not exist. They lack metacognition — the ability to 'think about thinking,' or introspection into one's own thinking. This leads to a faulty confidence level which to themselves is anchored on a false perspective of having known enough and having thought sufficiently enough. They end up with an illusory superiority, and they are on what Dunning-Kruger refers to as 'Mount Stupid' — the basis of the title of this article. This Dunning-Kruger Effect impacts on what people believe and consequently affect the decisions and the actions they take — like voting. \Competent lack self-belief in the Valley of Despair Dunning and Kruger found that competent experts actually tend to underestimate their own abilities relative to how others did in what is called the 'Valley of Despair.' The competent people hold more realistic views of their own knowledge and capabilities
Psychology Dunning-Kruger Effect Cognitive Bias Ignorance Overconfidence Incompetence Misinformation Social Media Political Discourse
Philippines Latest News, Philippines Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
2,504 Filipino Youth Awarded for STEM ExcellenceThe Department of Science and Technology-Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI) awarded 2,504 outstanding students with the Youth Excellence in Science (YES) Awards in 2024, recognizing their achievements in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). This year saw a record-breaking number of awardees, a 18.45% increase from 2023. The DOST-SEI organized three separate awarding ceremonies in Tacloban, Baguio, and Cagayan de Oro to celebrate the recipients' success.
Read more »
Indonesia's Mount Ibu erupts more than 1,000 times this monthTERNATE, Indonesia — A volcano in eastern Indonesia has erupted at least a thousand times this month, according to an official report Sunday as efforts were underway to evacuate thousands of villagers living near the rumbling mountain.
Read more »
OCD Pushes for Constant Communication Amid Mount Kanlaon Eruption, DSWD Provides Support to EvacueesThe Office of Civil Defense (OCD) is emphasizing the importance of constant communication with local leaders as Mount Kanlaon remains at Alert Level 3. Simultaneously, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is working to raise the spirits of displaced villagers in evacuation centers.
Read more »
Mount Kanlaon Shows Increased Volcanic Activity, Authorities Raise AlertThe Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) released footage showing intensified volcanic activity from Mount Kanlaon, prompting authorities to heighten public vigilance and evacuation efforts. The volcano emitted grayish plumes 500 meters above its summit crater, prompting the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) to remind residents of the threat of a destructive eruption. Authorities, including the OCD and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), are working together to support evacuation efforts and provide aid to those displaced.
Read more »
Indonesia Evacuates Hundreds as Mount Ibu EruptsMount Ibu on the Indonesian island of Halmahera erupted Wednesday, prompting the evacuation of hundreds of residents. The volcano's alert status was raised to the highest level, and authorities are urging 3,000 people to leave their homes.
Read more »
Groups mount signature drive to stop adolescent pregnancy bill’s passageCause-oriented groups, including Christian organizations, are exerting a last-ditch effort to stop approval in the Senate of a bill meant to stop the alarming rise of teen pregnancies, but which they said would harm innocent young children while depriving parents of any say on how sex education should be...
Read more »