Information Research Weblog

Your article prompted two thoughts - first of all I enjoyed the irony of how
you (mis)spelt your Prime Minister's surname.

Secondly, I was reminded of the Peter Principle (which book I read when
younger). This principle states that because people are promoted for good
work, eventually people will be promoted beyond their level of competence
and then you're stuck. Perhaps this relates.

Grahame Gould
Information Co-ordinator
Shire of Wyndham East Kimberley
Australia
Web: www.thelastfrontier.com.au

This email may contain confidential information. If you are not the
intended recipient, please contact the sender.
The views expressed in this email may or may not be the official position of
the Shire of Wyndham East Kimberley.
-----Original Message-----
From: Tom Wilson [mailto:t.d.wilson@sheffield.ac.uk]
Sent: Wednesday, 5 January 2005 6:57 PM
To: irweblog.irweblog
Subject: IR-WEBLOG A new theory - status-induced stupidity

Msg URL: http://www.free-conversant.com/irweblog/481
--------------------------------------

News that the EU's Information Commissioner is in trouble
<http://www.eubusiness.com/afp/050104170509.133keiul> over hiring a
Philippino maid when the EU has 30 million unemployed nationals suggested to
me a theory, which I call 'status-induced stupidity'. This is the condition
brought about by promotion to high office, which results in an individual
acting in ways that the rest of the world finds quite inexplicable. Tony
'Thatcher' Bliar, of course, is one of the prime sufferers from this
condition, while Dubbya has lifetime immunity as a result of an earlier
condition of 'birth-induced stupidity'.

Medical science is baffled by this condition, but work is being carried out
on recent sufferers who have undergone the only known (and highly traumatic)
treatment regime, that is, removal from office. It is understood that
recently self-removed victim, David Blunkett, is under observation by a team
of researchers.

No immediate breakthrough is expected.


--------------------------------------
To Unsubscribe from this list visit:
http://www.free-conversant.com/irweblog/members/settings/preferences$convers
ation=irweblog&plugin=Email%20Interface