Author: Phillip Reed

ISBN: 141964114X

The following review was contributed by:  NORM GOLDMAN:  Editor of Bookpleasures. CLICK TO VIEW  Norm Goldman's Reviews       

To read Norm's Interview with Philip Reed CLICK HERE

Coincidentally, as I was reading Phillip Reed’s Idiots 'R Us there was a television program pertaining to the topic of stupidity. When a member of the television crew asked people on the street how would they define stupidity, most were baffled. Albert Einstein probably best summed it up when he stated: “Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I am not sure about the former.”

It is little wonder that most of us are not quite sure what is stupidity, as its definition is wide and varied from denoting the lack of ability, (especially mental ability) to do something or to understand and profit from experience to the quality of being rash and foolish. Very often stupidity is attributable to lack of consideration or bad judgment.

Reed provides us with one hundred and thirty one stupid acts that cover a great deal of territory reminding us of some of our dim-witted behavior patterns, brainless deeds, actions and utterances. Most will be quite recognizable such as wondering why your kids are badly behaved not realizing that you never disciplined them, refusing to see a doctor when you are continually feeling sick and then discover that you have a terminal disease, borrowing a car from someone with a full tank of gas and bringing it back empty and then becoming annoyed when you are told the next time you wish to drive the car fill it up, sitting in an information meeting and not listening to the information that is being conveyed, making daily promises to people knowing full well that you can never fulfill these promises, your employer presents you with a progress report indicating that your work is not satisfactory and you blame everyone else for your deficiencies, you expect everyone to take care of your every desire, but are unwilling to reciprocate, you become very successful and now you avoid seeing anyone from your past, nor do you endeavor to help anyone else to become successful, and the list goes on and on. 

On the back cover Reed states that his book is not meant to offend anyone in any way, as he writes books to make people think about the things they do in their lives. Many of us have difficulty in understanding how and why people can do stupid things and for the most part we have to admit that these actions are harmless. However, as Martin Luther King stated: “nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.” We need to be steered into modifying our ways, and without doubt readers will find Reed a persuasive guide.