Why Do We Do Stupid Things?

Have you ever wondered?

Get this: researchers in Budapest put together behaviors that were described as "stupid". They then showed them to over 150 student subjects to see if the student subjects thought they were indeed "stupid". The answers the researchers were looking for wasn't just, "Hey there, d'ya think this might be stupid?" They further asked the test subject to pick from a list why they thought the particular behaviors would be considered "stupid". One example, might have been something like gambling.

Here's what they finally concluded. People do "stupid" things for one of three reasons:

1) Overconfidence. Because every thing memorable starts with, "Hey, hold my beer and watch this!"

2) Lack of control. Probably better described as lack of self-control. Jiminy Cricket told you not to, but you didn't listen.

3) Absent mindedness. Which is the highly scientific and cultured term for "brain fart".

The study found that highly intelligent people were not immune to "stupid" behavior.

Maybe as we become more sensitive politically correct enlightened, we'll call each other out, but instead of calling each other "stupid", we'll call each other forgetful, or maybe overconfident.

Check out the full survey details here. I'm wondering what classes I missed in school that I couldn't land a prime part time job like asking people what behaviors they think are stupid.

I remember this one time, at band camp...