OT: NYT article on, among other things, the limits of our ability to acknowledge what we don’t know

[desmond]

Allan,

Accepted, thank you.

[CardiffBaseball]

Possibly then community organizers are not….. whoa there nellie!!!! Just having some fun..

I need to read the article but plan to do so with my example in mind. I’ve always personally felt, and this may sound a little funny….Too intelligent which allows me to understand just how stupid I am.

Ehhh… Stupid isn’t the right word. I inherently recognize when I am ill-prepared to do a task. Thus the task is either pushed off or done “just good enough to pass” or whatever. I find some of my contemporaries willing to charge ahead no matter how dumb they look, and get involved with projects that they really have no business being involved in. Yet they manage to survive. And I’ve often had the internal thought of “damn I wish I didn’t care so much about looking like a dumb-ass”. I say that because often I’ll hear questions that make me thing “what they hell are you doing in this position”.

One guy who recently left took a Director role in IT at some smaller local firm, and posted a query for help on LinkedIn. I remember thinking “wow I’d be embarrassed to ask that question publicly if I were in his position”. Yet he is the Director laughing all the way to the bank.

Still I see things more from a “damn this person doesn’t realize how ignorant they are” and knowing that I suffer from analysis paralysis and don’t make enough fast decisions (except when coaching baseball). As alluded to earlier every major purchase becomes a fear of being taken the cleaners. Suddenly you are checking on specs on digital cameras, most of which you’ll never use. My wife just says get me the flip video. Even then I chose another brand for better features though that research only took a day or so.

In any case I find “knowing better” at times to be…very limiting while the clueless are apparently shielded from any self-doubt.

[CardiffBaseball]

Possibly then community organizers are not….. whoa there nellie!!!! Just having some fun..

I need to read the article but plan to do so with my example in mind. I’ve always personally felt, and this may sound a little funny….Too intelligent which allows me to understand just how stupid I am.

Ehhh… Stupid isn’t the right word. I inherently recognize when I am ill-prepared to do a task. Thus the task is either pushed off or done “just good enough to pass” or whatever. I find some of my contemporaries willing to charge ahead no matter how dumb they look, and get involved with projects that they really have no business being involved in. Yet they manage to survive. And I’ve often had the internal thought of “damn I wish I didn’t care so much about looking like a dumb-ass”. I say that because often I’ll hear questions that make me thing “what they hell are you doing in this position”.

One guy who recently left took a Director role in IT at some smaller local firm, and posted a query for help on LinkedIn. I remember thinking “wow I’d be embarrassed to ask that question publicly if I were in his position”. Yet he is the Director laughing all the way to the bank.

Still I see things more from a “damn this person doesn’t realize how ignorant they are” and knowing that I suffer from analysis paralysis and don’t make enough fast decisions (except when coaching baseball). As alluded to earlier every major purchase becomes a fear of being taken the cleaners. Suddenly you are checking on specs on digital cameras, most of which you’ll never use. My wife just says get me the flip video. Even then I chose another brand for better features though that research only took a day or so.

In any case I find “knowing better” at times to be…very limiting while the clueless are apparently shielded from any self-doubt.

[CardiffBaseball]

Possibly then community organizers are not….. whoa there nellie!!!! Just having some fun..

I need to read the article but plan to do so with my example in mind. I’ve always personally felt, and this may sound a little funny….Too intelligent which allows me to understand just how stupid I am.

Ehhh… Stupid isn’t the right word. I inherently recognize when I am ill-prepared to do a task. Thus the task is either pushed off or done “just good enough to pass” or whatever. I find some of my contemporaries willing to charge ahead no matter how dumb they look, and get involved with projects that they really have no business being involved in. Yet they manage to survive. And I’ve often had the internal thought of “damn I wish I didn’t care so much about looking like a dumb-ass”. I say that because often I’ll hear questions that make me thing “what they hell are you doing in this position”.

One guy who recently left took a Director role in IT at some smaller local firm, and posted a query for help on LinkedIn. I remember thinking “wow I’d be embarrassed to ask that question publicly if I were in his position”. Yet he is the Director laughing all the way to the bank.

Still I see things more from a “damn this person doesn’t realize how ignorant they are” and knowing that I suffer from analysis paralysis and don’t make enough fast decisions (except when coaching baseball). As alluded to earlier every major purchase becomes a fear of being taken the cleaners. Suddenly you are checking on specs on digital cameras, most of which you’ll never use. My wife just says get me the flip video. Even then I chose another brand for better features though that research only took a day or so.

In any case I find “knowing better” at times to be…very limiting while the clueless are apparently shielded from any self-doubt.

[CardiffBaseball]

Possibly then community organizers are not….. whoa there nellie!!!! Just having some fun..

I need to read the article but plan to do so with my example in mind. I’ve always personally felt, and this may sound a little funny….Too intelligent which allows me to understand just how stupid I am.

Ehhh… Stupid isn’t the right word. I inherently recognize when I am ill-prepared to do a task. Thus the task is either pushed off or done “just good enough to pass” or whatever. I find some of my contemporaries willing to charge ahead no matter how dumb they look, and get involved with projects that they really have no business being involved in. Yet they manage to survive. And I’ve often had the internal thought of “damn I wish I didn’t care so much about looking like a dumb-ass”. I say that because often I’ll hear questions that make me thing “what they hell are you doing in this position”.

One guy who recently left took a Director role in IT at some smaller local firm, and posted a query for help on LinkedIn. I remember thinking “wow I’d be embarrassed to ask that question publicly if I were in his position”. Yet he is the Director laughing all the way to the bank.

Still I see things more from a “damn this person doesn’t realize how ignorant they are” and knowing that I suffer from analysis paralysis and don’t make enough fast decisions (except when coaching baseball). As alluded to earlier every major purchase becomes a fear of being taken the cleaners. Suddenly you are checking on specs on digital cameras, most of which you’ll never use. My wife just says get me the flip video. Even then I chose another brand for better features though that research only took a day or so.

In any case I find “knowing better” at times to be…very limiting while the clueless are apparently shielded from any self-doubt.

[CardiffBaseball]

Possibly then community organizers are not….. whoa there nellie!!!! Just having some fun..

I need to read the article but plan to do so with my example in mind. I’ve always personally felt, and this may sound a little funny….Too intelligent which allows me to understand just how stupid I am.

Ehhh… Stupid isn’t the right word. I inherently recognize when I am ill-prepared to do a task. Thus the task is either pushed off or done “just good enough to pass” or whatever. I find some of my contemporaries willing to charge ahead no matter how dumb they look, and get involved with projects that they really have no business being involved in. Yet they manage to survive. And I’ve often had the internal thought of “damn I wish I didn’t care so much about looking like a dumb-ass”. I say that because often I’ll hear questions that make me thing “what they hell are you doing in this position”.

One guy who recently left took a Director role in IT at some smaller local firm, and posted a query for help on LinkedIn. I remember thinking “wow I’d be embarrassed to ask that question publicly if I were in his position”. Yet he is the Director laughing all the way to the bank.

Still I see things more from a “damn this person doesn’t realize how ignorant they are” and knowing that I suffer from analysis paralysis and don’t make enough fast decisions (except when coaching baseball). As alluded to earlier every major purchase becomes a fear of being taken the cleaners. Suddenly you are checking on specs on digital cameras, most of which you’ll never use. My wife just says get me the flip video. Even then I chose another brand for better features though that research only took a day or so.

In any case I find “knowing better” at times to be…very limiting while the clueless are apparently shielded from any self-doubt.

[eavesdropper]

[quote=CardiffBaseball]Possibly then community organizers are not….. whoa there nellie!!!! Just having some fun.. I need to read the article but plan to do so with my example in mind. I’ve always personally felt, and this may sound a little funny….Too intelligent which allows me to understand just how stupid I am….[/quote]

Cardiff, it may sound a little funny, but I’ve thought the same thing, and daresay some other Piggs have, also. But you’re right: you do recognize your shortcomings in some areas, which, in most individuals, shows intelligence and maturity.

You definitely should read the articles – really thought-provoking. I think they’ve published four of the five parts. But keep in mind that there’s everyday garden-variety incompetence, which is fairly common, and then there’s cluelessness to the point of genuine cerebral dysfunction. The author does a very proficient job of exploring the phenomenon.

[eavesdropper]

[quote=CardiffBaseball]Possibly then community organizers are not….. whoa there nellie!!!! Just having some fun.. I need to read the article but plan to do so with my example in mind. I’ve always personally felt, and this may sound a little funny….Too intelligent which allows me to understand just how stupid I am….[/quote]

Cardiff, it may sound a little funny, but I’ve thought the same thing, and daresay some other Piggs have, also. But you’re right: you do recognize your shortcomings in some areas, which, in most individuals, shows intelligence and maturity.

You definitely should read the articles – really thought-provoking. I think they’ve published four of the five parts. But keep in mind that there’s everyday garden-variety incompetence, which is fairly common, and then there’s cluelessness to the point of genuine cerebral dysfunction. The author does a very proficient job of exploring the phenomenon.

[eavesdropper]

[quote=CardiffBaseball]Possibly then community organizers are not….. whoa there nellie!!!! Just having some fun.. I need to read the article but plan to do so with my example in mind. I’ve always personally felt, and this may sound a little funny….Too intelligent which allows me to understand just how stupid I am….[/quote]

Cardiff, it may sound a little funny, but I’ve thought the same thing, and daresay some other Piggs have, also. But you’re right: you do recognize your shortcomings in some areas, which, in most individuals, shows intelligence and maturity.

You definitely should read the articles – really thought-provoking. I think they’ve published four of the five parts. But keep in mind that there’s everyday garden-variety incompetence, which is fairly common, and then there’s cluelessness to the point of genuine cerebral dysfunction. The author does a very proficient job of exploring the phenomenon.

[eavesdropper]

[quote=CardiffBaseball]Possibly then community organizers are not….. whoa there nellie!!!! Just having some fun.. I need to read the article but plan to do so with my example in mind. I’ve always personally felt, and this may sound a little funny….Too intelligent which allows me to understand just how stupid I am….[/quote]

Cardiff, it may sound a little funny, but I’ve thought the same thing, and daresay some other Piggs have, also. But you’re right: you do recognize your shortcomings in some areas, which, in most individuals, shows intelligence and maturity.

You definitely should read the articles – really thought-provoking. I think they’ve published four of the five parts. But keep in mind that there’s everyday garden-variety incompetence, which is fairly common, and then there’s cluelessness to the point of genuine cerebral dysfunction. The author does a very proficient job of exploring the phenomenon.

[eavesdropper]

[quote=CardiffBaseball]Possibly then community organizers are not….. whoa there nellie!!!! Just having some fun.. I need to read the article but plan to do so with my example in mind. I’ve always personally felt, and this may sound a little funny….Too intelligent which allows me to understand just how stupid I am….[/quote]

Cardiff, it may sound a little funny, but I’ve thought the same thing, and daresay some other Piggs have, also. But you’re right: you do recognize your shortcomings in some areas, which, in most individuals, shows intelligence and maturity.

You definitely should read the articles – really thought-provoking. I think they’ve published four of the five parts. But keep in mind that there’s everyday garden-variety incompetence, which is fairly common, and then there’s cluelessness to the point of genuine cerebral dysfunction. The author does a very proficient job of exploring the phenomenon.

[Aecetia]

I saw a lot of this in county government combined with cronysism. Luckily most of the top people do not do a lot of work.

The Peter Principle is the principle that “in a hierarchy every employee tends to rise to his level of incompetence.” It was formulated by Dr. Laurence J. Peter and Raymond Hull in their 1969 book The Peter Principle, a humorous treatise which also introduced the “salutary science of Hierarchiology”, “inadvertently founded” by Peter. It holds that in a hierarchy, members are promoted so long as they work competently. Sooner or later they are promoted to a position at which they are no longer competent (their “level of incompetence”), and there they remain, being unable to earn further promotions. This principle can be modeled and has theoretical validity.[1] Peter’s Corollary states that “in time, every post tends to be occupied by an employee who is incompetent to carry out his duties” and adds that “work is accomplished by those employees who have not yet reached their level of incompetence”.

[Aecetia]

I saw a lot of this in county government combined with cronysism. Luckily most of the top people do not do a lot of work.

The Peter Principle is the principle that “in a hierarchy every employee tends to rise to his level of incompetence.” It was formulated by Dr. Laurence J. Peter and Raymond Hull in their 1969 book The Peter Principle, a humorous treatise which also introduced the “salutary science of Hierarchiology”, “inadvertently founded” by Peter. It holds that in a hierarchy, members are promoted so long as they work competently. Sooner or later they are promoted to a position at which they are no longer competent (their “level of incompetence”), and there they remain, being unable to earn further promotions. This principle can be modeled and has theoretical validity.[1] Peter’s Corollary states that “in time, every post tends to be occupied by an employee who is incompetent to carry out his duties” and adds that “work is accomplished by those employees who have not yet reached their level of incompetence”.

[Aecetia]

I saw a lot of this in county government combined with cronysism. Luckily most of the top people do not do a lot of work.

The Peter Principle is the principle that “in a hierarchy every employee tends to rise to his level of incompetence.” It was formulated by Dr. Laurence J. Peter and Raymond Hull in their 1969 book The Peter Principle, a humorous treatise which also introduced the “salutary science of Hierarchiology”, “inadvertently founded” by Peter. It holds that in a hierarchy, members are promoted so long as they work competently. Sooner or later they are promoted to a position at which they are no longer competent (their “level of incompetence”), and there they remain, being unable to earn further promotions. This principle can be modeled and has theoretical validity.[1] Peter’s Corollary states that “in time, every post tends to be occupied by an employee who is incompetent to carry out his duties” and adds that “work is accomplished by those employees who have not yet reached their level of incompetence”.

[Aecetia]

I saw a lot of this in county government combined with cronysism. Luckily most of the top people do not do a lot of work.

The Peter Principle is the principle that “in a hierarchy every employee tends to rise to his level of incompetence.” It was formulated by Dr. Laurence J. Peter and Raymond Hull in their 1969 book The Peter Principle, a humorous treatise which also introduced the “salutary science of Hierarchiology”, “inadvertently founded” by Peter. It holds that in a hierarchy, members are promoted so long as they work competently. Sooner or later they are promoted to a position at which they are no longer competent (their “level of incompetence”), and there they remain, being unable to earn further promotions. This principle can be modeled and has theoretical validity.[1] Peter’s Corollary states that “in time, every post tends to be occupied by an employee who is incompetent to carry out his duties” and adds that “work is accomplished by those employees who have not yet reached their level of incompetence”.

[Author]

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