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Dumbify — Get Smarter by Thinking Dumber

Dumbify — Get Smarter by Thinking Dumber

By: David Carson
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Get smarter by thinking dumber with the only podcast that celebrates ideas so weird, wrong, or wildly impractical… they just might be brilliant. Hosted by David Carson, a serial entrepreneur behind multiple hundred-million-dollar companies and the go-to secret weapon for companies looking to unlock new markets through unconventional thinking. Dumbify dives into the messy, counter-intuitive side of creativity — the “dumb” ideas that built empires, broke rules, and ended up changing everything.Copyright 2025 David Carson Economics Leadership Management & Leadership Philosophy Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Eating Pudding With Forks & The Science of Being Stupid Together
    Nov 25 2025

    What if the secret to high-performing teams and genuine human connection isn't more professionalism—but less? This episode reveals the surprising science behind why adults waddling like penguins might be the most sophisticated thing they do all week. From a psychiatrist who discovered that murderers shared one startling childhood characteristic, to hundreds of Germans gathering in parks to eat pudding with forks, host David Carson uncovers a pattern modern life is desperately trying to eliminate: collective foolishness isn't frivolous—it's fundamental.

    Through decades of neuroscience and Harvard business studies, this episode proves that thriving groups aren't the ones who stay dignified—they're the ones willing to look ridiculous together. You'll discover why water balloon fights and tomato-throwing festivals build trust faster than any team-building exercise, why the word "constulting" needs a comeback, and how synchronized stupidity might be Gen Z's answer to chaotic times. Fair warning: by the end, you'll want to gather your most serious colleagues and do something deeply, publicly pointless.

    Sign up for the Dumbify newsletter: https://www.david-carson.com/

    Dumbify celebrates ideas so weird, wrong, or wildly impractical… they just might be brilliant. Hosted by David Carson, a serial entrepreneur behind multiple hundred-million-dollar companies and the go-to secret weapon for companies looking to unlock new markets through unconventional thinking. Dumbify dives into the messy, counter-intuitive side of creativity — the “dumb” ideas that built empires, broke rules, and ended up changing everything.

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    24 mins
  • Why Intentional Quitting is the Key to Success
    Nov 18 2025

    What if everything we’ve been told about grit, persistence, and “never giving up” is actually… backwards? In this week’s episode of Dumbify, David Carson digs into the taboo idea that quitting might not be weakness. It might be a great strategy. David unpacks why forcing ourselves to stick with things we hate doesn’t build character, it just builds resentment. From Seth Godin’s heretical book The Dip to Steve Jobs’ career-defining walkouts, the evidence piles up. The people who succeed aren’t the ones who grind forever, they’re the ones who quit smart and redirect their energy.

    This episode will make you rethink every motivational poster you’ve ever seen. Why do Olympic athletes quit sports constantly before finding their lane? Why did Steve Jobs’ biggest wins only happen because he walked away at the right time? And why does your brain trick you into persevering long after you should have bailed? Tune in to hear how the cult of “never give up” might be holding you back, and why your most valuable skill could be quitting.

    Sign up for the Dumbify newsletter: https://www.david-carson.com/

    Dumbify celebrates ideas so weird, wrong, or wildly impractical… they just might be brilliant. Hosted by David Carson, a serial entrepreneur behind multiple hundred-million-dollar companies and the go-to secret weapon for companies looking to unlock new markets through unconventional thinking. Dumbify dives into the messy, counter-intuitive side of creativity — the “dumb” ideas that built empires, broke rules, and ended up changing everything.

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    26 mins
  • The Strange World of Cheese Influencers (and the Secret to Finding Joy)
    Nov 11 2025

    Stumble into the strange world of cheese influencers — people with millions of followers who’ve turned arranging dairy into high art, internet fame, and, occasionally, full-blown drama. From the rise of Marissa Mullen’s “Cheese by Numbers” empire to a moldy disaster involving mega-influencers like MrBeast and Logan Paul, this world is way sharper than you’d think.

    But this episode isn’t really about cheese. It’s about why our brains light up when we take something — anything — and treat it like a craft. Along the way: a humiliating cheese board fail, mystical dairy fortune-telling, and a challenge that just might make you a little happier, one slice at a time.

    Sign up for the Dumbify newsletter: https://www.david-carson.com/

    Dumbify celebrates ideas so weird, wrong, or wildly impractical… they just might be brilliant. Hosted by David Carson, a serial entrepreneur behind multiple hundred-million-dollar companies and the go-to secret weapon for companies looking to unlock new markets through unconventional thinking. Dumbify dives into the messy, counter-intuitive side of creativity — the “dumb” ideas that built empires, broke rules, and ended up changing everything.

    Show More Show Less
    25 mins
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