Be Stupid: The Douchebag Philosophy

One of the most pervasive and recognizable individuals in contemporary society is the douchebag. The douchebag is everywhere. In our bars wearing too much axe body spray. In our gyms using bad pickup lines. In our workplaces making jokes about our mothers. These well-known habits (along with pink polos with popped collars) make the douche an easy target.

But while the behaviors of the douche are well known, his philosophy is not. We write off his actions as juvenile without taking time to consider their motivation. Has the douchebag been misunderstood? Is it possible we have something to learn from him? Maybe if we break down his values we can better understand the intentions of this particular brand of individual.

Luckily, Diesel (a fashion label popular among douchebags) has done just that with the launch of their new ad campaign, “Be Stupid.”

Is Diesel right? I mean maybe being a little stupid isn’t so stupid. Most of us spend our lives making the “right” decisions, playing it safe and avoiding conflict. Conventional wisdom tells us not to risk it. Why? Because when we engage in untested activities, failure is common. But we can’t learn to succeed unless we first learn how to fail. And jumping head-first into failure is, well, kinda stupid.

Stupid, but important.

I think intelligence as currently measured by cultural standards is overrated. We as a society tend to put value on facts, the analysis of data, and the ability to manage the past instead of create the future. This unspoken educational ethos fosters an intellectual environment that systematically criticizes new ideas and makes us too reliant on what is known.

This is the status-quo and you’d be stupid to challenge it.

Be stupid.

Now is the time to say “yes” to life and its inherent absurdities. If we don’t allow unplanned things to happen we are limiting possibilities. If we’re smart we’ll remember to be stupid and not judge the future as it unfolds.

It’s easy to be smart because you only have to think and act within the established rules of the intellectual community. It takes no original thought. Being stupid takes courage. The stupid is untested but usually leads to surprising (and sometimes amazing) results.

So-called smart people have a need to base their opinions on what is already known and established. It is classic conservative philosophy and a form of preserving the past. Nothing can be “right” unless it has already been proven. This immediately negates the possibility of change and innovation. If we want our society to progress we can’t be afraid to embrace the unknown. Yes, we still need intelligence, but only in support of a sustained sense of imagination.

At a certain point you need to just go with your gut. Of course you are bound to make some mistakes. But doing what feels right means you’re at least aimed in the right direction. And I generally believe that when you work hard doing whatever makes you happy, things tend to fall into place.

Are you with stupid? Do you have confidence in yourself even when success seems illogical? Are you able to sense what is legit even without the support of hard facts? Which do you value more: intelligence or imagination?

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Be stupid. This is the philosophy of douchebags. This is the roadmap of lovers. This is the way of the bro. Intellects will look down at stupid people with secret envy for their wisdom. Haters will try to destroy them because they can’t understand their optimism. But they will walk into battle with only Diesel jeans and their favorite music. People will laugh at them, but they will win. They will always win. They are too stupid to lose.