The Dunning-Kruger effect

Today, I came across this interesting article on the Dunning-Kruger effect. It perhaps is a psychological issue where individuals with low IQs (and the resultant low performance levels) overestimate their performance and believe themselves to be better than the rest or the 'experts' in the field.

Interesting because haven't we all come across such hyperbolic individuals who speak (or show) more and do less? I have personally met quite a few who I have wanted to give a big reality check to.

But here is the interesting part. How do I know if I myself am a sufferer of the Dunning-Krugger effect? Well, it seems that the reverse of the Dunning-Krugger effect holds true as well.

That is, individuals with greater IQ (and abilities) overestimate the abilities of others and so, always remain conservative in assessing what they can achieve. In other words, the experts never declare themselves as the experts. They remain modest about their performance while it is the others who label them as experts.

So, the key is in modesty! This quote puts it well:

"One of the painful things about our time is that those who feel certainty are stupid, and those with any imagination and understanding are filled with doubt and indecision." - Bertrand Russell

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