When we begin to scrutinize the opinions of other people, philosophers have long proposed, we stand to make a discovery at once saddening and curiously releasing: that the views of the majority of the population on the majority of subjects are permeated with extraordinary confusion and error. Chamfort ... put the matter simply: 'Public opinion is the worst of all opinions.'
The reason for this defectiveness of opinion lies in the public's reluctance to submit its thoughts to the rigours of rational examination and its reliance on intuition, emotion and custom instead. 'One can be certain that every generally held idea, every received notion, will be an idiocy, because it has been able to appeal to a majority,' observed Chamfort, adding that what is flatteringly called common sense is usually little short of common nonsense, suffering as it does from simplification and illogicality, prejudice and shallowness.
The implication being that if you recognize this fact, it might help ease our anxieties about status.
...rather than letting every case of opposition or neglect wound us, we are invited first to examine the justice of others' behaviour. Only that which is both damning and true should be allowed to shatter our esteem. we should halt the masochistic process whereby we seek the approval of people before we have asked ourselves whether their views deserve to be listened to; the process whereby we seek the love of those for whom we discover, once we study their minds, that we have scant respect.
Alain entertainingly illustrates the point in this video, where he walks around Socratic-ally interrupting random people with questions a la "Excuse me, sir. Can I just ask you -- what do you think the good life is?" (Begins around 9:30.)
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I wrote a post last July criticizing a similar idea. I still think we need to be careful about how far we take this. Less thoughtful that you realize, sure. Stupider, I'm not so sure.
Also:
All of Alain de Botton's Philosophy: A Guide to Happiness videos.
Wisdom Test.
