In the second part of my conversation with Adam Robinson, we discuss the work and research he did for his book How Not to Be Stupid, and what the dynamics of stupidity are in today’s world. 

 

This is a timely discussion because by the measure of Adam’s criteria of stupidity, we’re in the danger zone now. Adam shares why we need to be cautious when we find ourselves in the stupid zone, and how the stupid zone creates behavioral blind spots that make us more susceptible to disaster. 

 

What makes the stupid zone even more perilous is that it not only makes us blind to crucial information, we’re not even aware that we’re blind. In the stupid zone, we need to proceed slowly and with caution. Unfortunately, much of our society isn’t proceeding with caution, making everything even worse. Adam shares what action, if any, we can take in the stupid zone. 

We also discussed; 

• The true definition of stupidity and why intelligent people can still be in the stupid zone. 
• How authority and group dynamics play into stupidity. 
• Why rushing amplifies stupidity in these times. 
• The riskiness of life right now 

 

Guest Info

 

Adam Robinson is an American educator, freelance author, and a US Chess Federation life master. He is the co-founder of The Princeton Review. He currently works as a global macro advisor to the heads of some of the world's largest hedge funds through his company Robinson Global Strategies. He advises the heads of large hedge funds, family offices, and other financial institutions on all global asset classes–global equities, US sectors, bonds, currencies, and commodities–using a unique approach that combines game theory, systems thinking, Bayesian analysis, and behavioral economics to outthink global markets and anticipate when major trends will change.