emperor’s new clothes

Trying to understand what was driving the seeming profusion of America’s Dumbest Criminals Cornell University psychology professor David Dunning and graduate student Justin Kruger formulated what they termed the “illusion of confidence” to limn a particularly incredulous case ripped from tabloid headlines.
In 1995, a bank-robber reasoned that a liberal splash of lemon juice would render his face invisible to security-cameras—and as dumb as this seems, a quick mental review can probably conjure up other funny and tragic examples of modern day charms and talisman. This leap of hubris came to be known as the Dunning-Kruger effect—describing one’s inability to recognise his or her shortcomings despite ongoing critique and feedback. While all of have veils that were not willing to pull back and would benefit from being disabused, incompetence forever shuts out the possibility for honest self-assessment and flexibility needed for basic performance.