Back in late 1999, two psychologists from Cornell University—Justin Kruger and David Dunning—put it to the test whether people who lack the skills or abilities for something are also more prone to lack awareness of that lacking. They started off their research paper with an example of a Pittsburgh bank robber, McArthur Wheeler. McArthur was arrested in 1995 shortly after robbing two banks in the middle of the day, with no mask on, or any other kind of disguise. When the police caught up to him and showed him the footage from security cameras, the robber was confused. "But I wore the juice," he protested. As it later turned out, the poor man believed that if you rub your face with lemon juice, it will be invisible to security cameras. Yeah, right... The two psychologists did other tests too that proved that their theory stands correct—the less competent you are, the more you think highly of your intelligence.
What later has become known as the Dunning-Kruger effect could probably explain why some incompetent people are just so damn annoying. Also, it can provide an insight into why we enjoy spending time with those who are able to laugh at themselves and their dumb brain farts. Don't you think it takes a smart person to admit that they can be very, extremely, overwhelmingly dumb? Therefore, all of these 60 people, who were brave (and smart!) enough to publicly admit the dumbest things they did, deserve a medal. While we won't actually send a medal to each one of these people, we suggest you take a scroll through this list where they are sharing instances that made them question their own intelligence. As always, vote for the ones you like the most and don't forget to share dumb moments that made you question your own mind!
#1
A couple of weeks ago, I heard my neighbors cat meowing, so I responded with a "meow" of my own. This went on for about 3-4 exchanges until I opened the door and found it was not a cat, it was just another dude meowing back at me. So many unanswered questions.
356points
#2
I have a key fob for my car. It’s set up so that if you hit the lock button once, it locks the car. If you hit the same lock button again, it locks it again and honks the horn so you know you’ve locked it for sure. The thing is, I always want to make super sure that it’s locked, but sometimes I come home to my condo super late, and my parking spot is right under someone else’s window. I noticed that if the key fob was farther away from the car when I hit the button twice, the honk was not as loud. So out of consideration, I would always wait til I was halfway up the stairs to do the double lock honk. What a great neighbor I am!
Anyway, after maybe 2+ years of doing this, one time my girlfriend and I were in my condo and I realized I needed something out of my car. So I go down there but when I get there I realize I had forgotten my keys. Well, I had my phone, so I called my girlfriend and asked if she would stick her arm out the window with the key fob and unlock my car. She mistakenly hit the lock button twice and my car honked. Really loudly! Even though she was all the way up on the third floor!
It was only then I realized...the honk was always the same. It only sounded softer when I was farther away...because I was farther away.
I have a master’s degree...
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343points
#3
When I was cleaning out my shed in the back, I stepped on a rake and the pole smacked me in the face. Literally, like the cartoons. It happened three more times before I came up with the bright idea to move the rake.
262points
#4
I once had a brain fart and forgot that porcupines were animals. I was hanging out with my family and my niece mentioned that her favorite animal was a porcupine, and I laughed for a good long time before explaining to her that porcupines weren't animals. I'd gotten them mixed up with pine cones.
I have a graduate degree. My niece was maybe 6 at the time. She schooled me.
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254points
#5
My coworker asked if there is lactose in eggs, I thought to myself "they both come from the same animal, so maybe". For 5 seconds, I thought milk came from chickens.
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246points
#6
I wanted to make cookies for my mom that spelled "mom" and I ordered one "o" and two "m" cookie cutters
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239points
#7
Fixing a clogged sink by removing the drain pipe and thoroughly rinsing it underneath the tap of the sink I just removed the drain from.
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235points
#8
I was sitting in traffic, and I noticed that all the other lanes were moving while mine hadn't budged an inch. I craned my neck trying to see what the hold up was, and finally figured out that I wasn't in a lane at all, but had been patiently waiting behind a line of parked cars.
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229points
#9
I snuck out to do teenagerly things at around midnight and got back at around 4 in the morning. I very slowly, agonizingly slowly, took my keys out of my pocket, selected the correct key, inserted it into the front door lock at a speed of one tumbler per fortnight, rotated it counterclockwise while palming the rest of the keys so as to not let them jingle and successfully unlocked the door. I removed the key from the lock at the same snails pace and put my keys back in my right front pocket. I went to reach for the doorknob and rang the doorbell. That was when I died.
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221points
#10
A couple months ago, my husband and I went on a walk. There are a lot of trails where we live and a couple of lakes. So we walked down a trail to the lake, turned left up another trail, and ended up at the top of a street. We start walking down the street and I realize there is a house that has a wishing well in their front yard like we do. I point it out to my husband and then I realize they have the same truck we do, too. I point out the truck and then I realize that we were in front of our own house. It wasn't my brightest moment.
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217points
#11
Wanted to light a candle. Struck a match. Changed my mind about which candle I wanted to light, and decided to light a Yankee jar candle instead. Couldn't get the lid off with one hand. Stuck the lit match in my mouth so I could use both hands to get the lid off.
Couldn't smell the scented candle.
Could only smell singed nose hair for days.
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211points
#12
One time I microwaved a single mozzarella stick for 30 seconds. It seemed an appropriate amount of time. When it was done I popped it in my mouth to eat it. It was molton lava hot. As it seared the inner workings of my mandible my brain began screaming "get rid of it!" So I did. By swallowing it. I felt the burn travel down my esophagus and into my stomach. It hurt so bad. It was only made worse by my friend laughing hysterically at me and exclaiming that even dumb dumbs know to spit it out.
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209points
#13
I once threw a stone high in the air directly above me. Absolutely no reason for that, just because I could I guess. Instead of walking away, I kept standing there, looking at the stone falling down until it was too late to move. I still managed to put my hands up protecting my head, hurt a lot anyway.
I don't think I'll ever win a Nobel prize.
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203points
#14
one time i was thinking about aqua from Konosuba and i thought "natural blue hair isn't real, but what about blue eyes?"
i have blue eyes
i have blue eyes and i was questioning their existence
203points
#15
I locked my car keys in the trunk of my car, hours later when I got my keys out, I proceeded to reenact what happened to my friends, complete with actually locking my keys in the trunk again...
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195points
#16
While helping my girlfriend make dinner one night we needed some lemon juice and she asked me to squeeze a lemon. Now logic would dictate you cut the lemon in half before you squeeze the juice out of it, but not this brilliant [guy]. No sir! I just squeezed the [hell] out of it, rolling and palming it in my hand until the peel finally broke, releasing the lemon juice into a bowl as requested. Needless to say, when she turned and saw what I had done she was amazed (probably by my impeccable ability to follow orders). She then asked how I ever managed to live alone, and I'm pretty sure that's why I'm not allowed in the kitchen anymore.
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191points
#17
Made some soup on the stove in a saucepan and poured it into a bowl and some of the soup dripped down the side of the boiling saucepan so I licked it
190points
#18
I went my whole life thinking the saying was "the ghost is clear" instead of "the coast is clear". Im 21 just found out yesterday at work lol
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174points
#19
I realized this year that pufferfish fill themselves with water when they expand instead of air... I’m 25
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169points
#20
A couple years ago I was moving out of my apartment, so I had the whole place packed up. I had a cold at the time, so I decided to take some alka-seltzer. With all my cups put away, I get the idea that I should just toss the meds in my mouth, and drink out of the sink to wash it down. Well the tabs get stuck in my throat and the water begins activating the meds. I'm sitting there alone in my kitchen, clutching my throat and foaming at the mouth into the sink. I was ashamed I was about to die in the least cool way ever. Luckily they dissolved quickly enough for me to catch my breath and not die.
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168points