August 7, 2019--Dunning-Kruger Effect

I hadn't heard of the Dunning-Kruger effect until good friend George Lindberg brought it to my attention.

He did so with his familiar sly smile, asking if I know anyone who might be afflicted. I tried to come up with someone from among those I know, but happily with no success. 

He pressed me further, dropping a hint or two. And then I got it.

I suspect you will not require any prompting.

Here's Wiki's definition-- 

In 2011, social psychologists David Dunning and Justin Kruger wrote about their observations that people with substantial, measurable deficits in their knowledge or expertise lack the ability to recognize those deficits and, therefore, despite potentially making error after error, tend to think they are performing competently when they are not. 

In short, those who are incompetent, for lack of a better term, have little insight into their incompetence—an assertion that has come to be known as the Dunning–Kruger effect. 

In 2014, Erik Helzer described how the Dunning–Kruger effect "suggests that poor performers are not in a position to recognize the shortcomings in their performance"

For this Dunning and Kruger were awarded the lg Nobel Prize. 

The lg Nobel, not the Nobel bestowed in Sweden but since 1991 awarded annually at Harvard to celebrate unusual or trivial achievements in scientific research, its stated aim being to "honor achievements that first make people laugh, and then make them think."

As usual, George made me laugh and think.