The Psychology of Stupidity by Jean-François Marmion Summary
Overview of The Psychology of Stupidity
Explore why smart people act foolishly in this #1 French bestseller featuring Nobel Prize winners. Steven Pinker insists "We need books like this one" - a witty journey into why debating fools is a trap your lazy brain can't resist.
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Key takeaways
The Paradox of Human Intelligence Gone Wrong
Why do smart people make dumb decisions? This question haunts us daily as we scroll through social media, watch the news, or reflect on our own choices. "The Psychology of Stupidity" brings together leading psychologists, philosophers, and neuroscientists to examine this universal human trait. What makes this exploration particularly compelling is its refusal to position stupidity as something that happens only to "others." As Nobel Prize winner Daniel Kahneman reminds us, we are all susceptible to cognitive biases that lead to poor decisions. Our fascination with understanding why intelligent people do foolish things has only grown more urgent in our era of "fake news" and "post-truth" politics. Stupidity manifests in varying intensities: minor irritations, institutional incompetence, and occasionally as devastating tidal waves that destroy everything in their path. Most dangerous are what the book calls "assholes with a capital A"-those who prosper despite their wrongheadedness, eroding others' dignity with unjustified arrogance. These individuals often occupy positions of power, making their impact particularly harmful.
The Science and Philosophy of Foolishness
From Simple Dullness to Sophisticated Folly
The Cognitive Science of Decision-Making
When Brilliant Minds Make Foolish Choices
The Psychology of Toxic Behavior
Embracing Our Inevitable Foolishness
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"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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