Why Do Smart People Say Stupid Things?

It’s a universal truth—some of the most educated, accomplished people can, and often do, say things that make you wonder if they’ve ever engaged a single brain cell before speaking. This isn’t just about casual slip-ups or misspeaking; it’s about confidently held, absolutely incorrect beliefs that somehow survive despite mountains of evidence to the contrary.

Take tariffs, for example. Sit in a meeting full of highly educated professionals, and you’ll find people passionately debating them without the faintest clue who actually pays them. Some will argue that tariffs “punish” foreign producers, as if they’re some magical tax that makes other countries suffer while boosting domestic business. Meanwhile, the reality—that tariffs are simply taxes on imported goods, paid by domestic consumers and businesses—escapes them entirely. And these aren’t random people on the street; they’re policy advisors, business executives, and political leaders.

So why does this happen? How do people who should know better end up confidently spreading garbage? The answer lies in a mix of psychological blind spots, which is the polite way of saying laziness, and the system that rewards oversimplified, feel-good soundbites over actual understanding. Let’s break it down.

The State of Informed Ignorance

One of the biggest reasons smart people say stupid things is that they mistake familiarity for understanding. They’ve heard a concept thrown around in conversation, maybe skimmed an article or two, and suddenly, they believe they grasp the full picture. This is what I call the state of informed ignorance—when people think they know something but actually don’t.

Tariffs are a perfect example. If you ask someone who supports tariffs why they believe they’re good, you’ll likely get a response like, “They protect American jobs.” That’s a comforting, simple answer—but it ignores the larger economic reality. Tariffs increase prices for domestic consumers, disrupt supply chains, and often lead to retaliatory tariffs that hurt the very industries they’re meant to protect. Yet, because the “protecting jobs” narrative has been repeated often enough, people assume it must be true.

This isn’t just about economics. Government policies, corporate decisions, and public debates are riddled with informed ignorance. People believe what they’re told because it’s easier than questioning it. And when those in power exploit this ignorance, they control the narrative—and the people.

The Soundbite Problem

The second reason smart people spread nonsense? They rely on soundbites instead of substance.

Complex issues don’t fit neatly into a tweet or a campaign slogan, but people crave easy answers. Politicians, media outlets, and even business leaders boil down nuanced topics into short, digestible statements that sound smart but are completely misleading.

For example, “Tariffs punish China.” It’s short, aggressive, and fits into the broader narrative of economic competition. But in reality, tariffs primarily punish the people and businesses in the country imposing them. However, because this one-liner is repeated constantly by politicians and echoed by the media, it takes root as truth.

The problem is, when people absorb information through soundbites, they feel informed without actually being informed. And once they believe they understand something, they stop questioning it.

This is how corporations and governments manipulate the public. Oversimplification keeps people from digging deeper. The less people question, the more easily they’re controlled.

Cognitive Bias & Laziness: Why People Double Down on Bad Takes

Even when confronted with facts that challenge their beliefs, many people double down instead of thinking critically. Why? A mix of cognitive bias and sheer intellectual laziness.

Confirmation Bias: People seek out information that reinforces what they already believe while ignoring anything that contradicts it.
The Dunning-Kruger Effect: The less someone knows about a topic, the more confident they tend to be in their understanding of it.
Intellectual Laziness: Thinking critically takes effort. It’s much easier to memorize a catchy phrase than to engage in deep analysis.

When someone is deeply invested in a belief—especially one that’s been reinforced by their peers, media, or authority figures—they’re unlikely to change their mind just because reality contradicts them. Instead, they dig in deeper.

And here’s where it gets dangerous: this blind loyalty fuels corruption and corporate control. Companies thrive on public ignorance. Governments exploit it. The less people think, the more they can be manipulated.

How to Not Sound Stupid (And Start Thinking for Yourself)

So how do you avoid falling into the same trap?

Ask Yourself: “How Do I Know This?” If your answer is “I heard it on the news” or “Someone told me,” dig deeper.
Seek Contradictory Evidence – Actively look for information that challenges your views.
Embrace Complexity – If an issue sounds too simple, chances are it’s not.
Be Willing to Say “I Don’t Know” – The smartest people are those who acknowledge what they don’t understand.
Recognize When You’re Being Manipulated – If a message is designed to make you react emotionally, question why.

At MTWX.ca, we exist to call out the system that thrives on ignorance. When people stop questioning, corporations and governments get away with unethical, immoral, and illegal behavior. Our mission is to wake people up and force accountability through collective action.

Smart people don’t say stupid things because they’re incapable of understanding—they do it because they don’t want to take the time to understand. The real question isn’t why people make dumb statements, but whether they’re willing to think critically enough to stop.

Are you?