Skip to main content
Chaptra
Cover of Why Smart People Do Stupid Things: Revised and Updated

Why Smart People Do Stupid Things: Revised and Updated

Written by Gene F. Ostrom

Not rated yet — tap a star to review it

217 pages, about 4 hours of reading

Chaptra reads alongside you — AI insights, chapter breakdowns and reader discussions for every book. Join free

About this book

"Why Smart People Do Stupid Things: Revised and Updated" follows the original publication by more than seven years. We worried and fretted then particularly about the stupidity exhibited by two of our recent presidents. Of course, we worried about ourselves and the host of other intelligent people who behaved out of character at one time or another. Today, rather than seeing improvement, we see a worsening of the condition in which obviously intelligent people do tragically stupid things. Not only that. The increased stupidty is operating at an institutional level. Note the functioning of major financial corporations, regulatory agencies of the federal government, and the United States congress. It is mind bogling. Answers aren't easy to come by because there are complex political and sociological factors that have bearing on the problem. But at the core--and where it most matters--are psychological and spiritual forces. We need to take a look at individuals and individuals need to take a look at themselves. This book explores why and it offers possible solutions. The analyses are presented in a readily understandable style with numerous illustrations.

Read it with a club

Chaptra's ideas and essays clubs — small groups reading the same books and talking as they go.

All clubs
Open books spread across a table

Books That Changed My Mind

Ideas and essays

  • 5 members
  • 4 discussions
  • Active 12h ago

Not books you enjoyed. Books that moved you off a position you'd genuinely held for years. This is a Chaptra house club — set up and moderated by us to get the conversation going. Open to everyone; jump in anywhere.

Read Why Smart People Do Stupid Things: Revised and Updated alongside people who are reading it too.

Chaptra Prime — paid clubs, every club feature, and unlimited reading support, for $5 a month or $60 once.

See Prime

Reading guide

Themes, characters and key ideas in Why Smart People Do Stupid Things: Revised and Updated, written by Chaptra AI.

A reading guide for this book hasn't been written yet. Chaptra builds one the first time a reader opens it.

Chapter-by-chapter breakdowns, character arcs and the full thematic analysis come with a free account.

Discussions

No one has started one yet

Join

No discussions yet

Be the first to start a discussion about this book!

Sign up to start the discussion

Reviews

No reviews yet

Be the first to review this book!