The Dumb Things We Do By William B. Helmreich Summary

To begin I had to read this book as extra credit. Before I read it the title sounded pretty interesting. My first thought after reading the title was that it would be a self-help book and make me think about the dumb things I do. I had a feeling it would be a serious book, yet include a twist of fun. After reading it I realized my presumptions came out to be true. In essence, What Was I Thinking?: The Dumb Things We Do and How to Avoid Them by William B. Helmreich is a book exploring the dumb things we do and why. The title of the book is self-explanatory of what a reader should be looking forward to reading. Helmreich mentioned some celebrities and the unintelligent things they have done. For example, he writes well-known mistakes Martha Stewart, Bill Clinton, Britney Spears and Tiger Woods. He also includes setbacks such as road rage, telling your boss off, cheating, shoplifting, and lying. While reading this book you can tell it took hard work …show more content…
There was a time in my life I had to get help because I could not do it alone. In a section of the book about paranoia, Helmreich writes “It usually happens when they’re feelings insecure. You know you feel it when you think everyone’s against you but you realize it’s an exaggeration” (Helmreich 205). At my “what was I thinking moment” I thought the world was against me and I was trying to figure out what I did wrong to deserve it. I did not understand that it was just a test to make me stronger than I already am. I would recommend this book to people who are trying to figure out who they are and understand the mistakes they have made. This is an interesting book analyzing the causes of unethical behavior but it makes readers question his or her values. It made me realize I am not perfect and everyone makes dumb decisions sometimes. Lastly, I enjoyed this book and I believe others will as