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The ant and the grasshopper - part 1

Have you been so sure of something that even the hint of something contradictory can trigger you? The consequences of being in this state and how to avoid it is "Re-evaluating Consistency". What gets us in this situation? For the answer, we'll use the story of the ant and grasshopper[1], the moral being that we need to be diligent and play towards endgame rather than quick wins.


"The more you sweat in peace, the less you bleed in war." - Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf


This makes the perfect ending to this story and seemingly requires no further investigation. However, let's augment it with a single fact, the lifespan of a worker ant is 1-3 years, the queen lives for 30 years[4], and that of a grasshopper is 1-3 months[5]. Neither is wrong but what works for one doesn't for the other. What helps us navigate such situations is to understand the Dunning-Kruger effect[2, 3].


"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so sure of themselves, but wiser people so full of doubts" - Bertrand Russell


We have acted like both characters of this story. We dish out well-intentioned advice without fully understanding the situation. We hesitate to mention the panacea because we feel we don't have all the information to make a call. We are quick to judge someone as a condescending know-it-all for trying to help us, ironically mirroring their level of confidence. As we appreciate this effect, we are closer to humbling ourselves, being more receptive to new ideas, and work with the underpinning


"The whole is greater than the sum of its parts" - Aristotle


References:

[1] Aesop’ fable, The ant and grasshopper

[2] Dunning Kruger effect

[3] Your bias is Dunning-Kruger effect

[4] Keller L (1998). "Queen lifespan and colony characteristics in ants and termites". Insectes Sociaux. 45 (3): 235–246. DOI:10.1007/s000400050084.

[5] Lifespan of a grasshopper

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