I'm With Stupid

The latest Diesel advertising campaign is just amazing.

This is the Diesel Stupid Philosophy

Like balloons, we are filled with hopes and dreams. But. Over time a single sentence creeps into our lives. Don’t be stupid. It’s the crusher of possibility. It’s the worlds greatest deflator. The world is full of smart people. Doing all kind of smart things… That's smart.
Well, we’re with stupid. Stupid is the relentless pursuit of a regret free life. Smart may have the brains…
but stupid has the balls. The smart might recognize things for how they are. The stupid see things for how they could be. Smart critiques. Stupid creates. The fact is if we didn't have stupid thoughts wed have no interesting thoughts at all. Smart may have the plans… but stupid has the stories.
Smart may have the authority but stupid has one hell of a hangover. Its not smart to take risks… Its stupid.
To be stupid is to be brave. The stupid isn't afraid to fail. The stupid know there are worse things than failure… like not even trying.
Smart had one good idea, and that idea was stupid. You can’t outsmart stupid. So don’t even try. Remember only stupid can be truly brilliant. ( Source from Diesel )

So I know it's just an ad campaign to sell clothes, but the philosophy and concept is pure temptation. The idea of carpe diem - seize the day - is not so much forgotten as it is frowned upon. One luxury that my generation has is the ability to plan. We don't have to 'seize the day' because we know what to expect tommorow - we know we will wake up in a comfortable bed and have food on the table, a teacher in the classroom and a check at the end of the month. We know that we will graduate from college, buy a car, start a family and be relatively and modestly, if not ostentatiously, comfortable. And if it ain't broke, why fix it - right?

Foraging into any idea unplanned and under-prepared means being irresponsible; equates to throwing your future away; shows risky rebellious behaviour.

Basically, don't be Stupid.
But if Stupid is creative, then what is the youth of life when drained of the sense of creation and creativity?
Embracing life with a sense of joy and passion, in the pursuit of laughter appears Utopian and Universal enough. Conversely, acting on impulse is not always correlated with embracing Stupid - punching someone in a bar just because you feel like it is not Stupid, it's just plain stupid. Consequences still exist in the real world, as much as we may wish they didn't, but the excitement of Stupid means knowing that the consequences of your actions hurt no one but yourself. You are responsible for the consequences of your actions towards yourself, but similarly you are also responsible of how those actions affect anybody else - anybody at all.

Stealing from the rich to give to the poor is not Stupid - it's theft.Getting behind the wheel drunk to go tell the girl of your dreams you love her is not Love - it's dangerous.

Dancing with your friends on a Monday night is Stupid.

Sometimes to be Stupid, you actually need to be smart - and I'm sure many of us have had moments where what seemed to be the smartest and most logical decision you can make, in hindsight was actually very stupid, while the Stupid decision you made changed your life, your perspective, or just gave you an amazing story.


Because Stupid doesn't mean neglecting consequences, it means embracing that there might be consequences but rather having the courage to deal with them. As a society we have forgotten what it means to expect the unexpected. The unexpected disappoints and jeopardizes and ruins the perfection we strive for on a daily basis. As a generation, we need to relearn to look forward to the quirks and pot-holes of life, and celebrate them as part of our plan, our story, or as my friend Celine has called it, our Unfinished Autobiography

Why does it feel so good to be Stupid? Biologically, I don't know. Something to do with endorphins, adrenaline, dopamine maybe? But emotionally, it is a release, usually an accomplishment. Your being craves the sense of surprise and anticipation. The suspense that something might go wrong at any moment, yet the ecstasy that it didn't. The pride of coming out on the other side with just that much more of a life experience.


So my message to you is to be Stupid (even if it means you're going to be late).

Splurge a little, love a little, and laugh a lot.

Because although Stupid might fail, smart doesn't even try - Diesel