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Get smarter by thinking dumber.

Your weekly guide to unconventional thinking, unique insights, and ridiculous ideas that show how 'dumb' thinking can lead to better solutions.

"Dumbify is my secret weapon. It flips my thinking upside down and reminds me that the ‘weirdest’ ideas often spark the best work.”

Jordan, Creative Director

"It’s so easy to get stuck in the same tired old playbooks. Dumbify helps me to rewire how I think about solving big problems."”

Natasha, Startup Founder

"It’s like having someone shake up your brain, but in the best way possible. Dumbify isn’t just a newsletter — it’s a mindset shift."”

Jamie, CMO

most recent

Why the Smartest People Break the Rules (on Purpose)

Why the Smartest People Break the Rules (on Purpose)

How originality is just disobedience with good timing.

Why I Schedule Time to Space Out (and Why You Should Too)

Why I Schedule Time to Space Out (and Why You Should Too)

Learn how zoning out can bulk up your brain — no pushups, just pixels and pub crawls.

What if everything you think is wrong... is right?

What if everything you think is wrong... is right?

How to use "The Opposite Method" (AKA, "The George Costanza")

Stuck? Try This Absurd Trick That Actually Works

Stuck? Try This Absurd Trick That Actually Works

The not-so-stupid science of solving problems by getting lost.

The Ideas That Duck & Cover

The Ideas That Duck & Cover

Why brilliant ideas ghost us — and how to snag them before they disappear.

Make a Fortune Being Useless

Make a Fortune Being Useless

Three entrepreneurs who got rich selling air, aliens, and absolutely nothing — and what they know about meaning that economists don’t.

The Day I Tried to Fake My Jog and Discovered the Meaning of Life

The Day I Tried to Fake My Jog and Discovered the Meaning of Life

The art of following someone's logic so far down the rabbit hole that you emerge on the other side of sanity with a clearer view of the problem.

The Age of Appstinence

The Age of Appstinence

When deleting your apps turns into your biggest life-upgrade flex.

Why Boredom Is Brain Fuel

Why Boredom Is Brain Fuel

The genius of being bored out of your mind.

Steal Like a Genius

Steal Like a Genius

Showing you how to grab what works, twist it sideways, and walk off looking original.

Kittens, Burritos & Billion‐Dollar Buffoonery

Kittens, Burritos & Billion‐Dollar Buffoonery

Meet Elan Lee, the game‐design renegade who weaponises dumb ideas for maximum joy—and sells a game every 4‐to‐6 seconds while he’s at it.

Weird Science

Weird Science

How to train your brain to see breakthroughs hiding in plain sight.

Why the smartest people sound dumb

Why the smartest people sound dumb

And the average sound exhausting.

Shower Epiphanies

Shower Epiphanies

Why our best ideas show up in the shower—and how to stop scrubbing them away before they see daylight.

Dejunk Your Head

Dejunk Your Head

A Spring Cleaning for Your Brain, Without the Lemon Scent

Thoughts Have Left the Building

Thoughts Have Left the Building

Mental flexibility for people who hate stretching

Mindfulness, but for weird ideas

Mindfulness, but for weird ideas

Or, How I Learned to Stop Freaking Out and Listen to My Brain Without Screaming

Giving Yourself Permission to Be Ridiculous

Giving Yourself Permission to Be Ridiculous

The creative hack you need.

What if Your Mind Went Rogue?

What if Your Mind Went Rogue?

How a little "strategic randomness" can fuel your creativity.

Tired of ‘playing it smart’?

Tired of ‘playing it smart’?

Think Like a Fool, Solve Like a Genius

Un-complicate Your Life

Un-complicate Your Life

A 'dumb' mental model for cutting through complexity.

Loosen the Leash

Loosen the Leash

Maybe it's time to ditch the constraints.

The smartest idiots in the room

The smartest idiots in the room

MSCHF's unique brand of dumb

Why the Best Ideas Start as Bad Jokes

Why the Best Ideas Start as Bad Jokes

Laughing Your Way to Innovation

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David Carson

Helping People Use Dumb-Thinking as a Superpower

Carson is a counter-intuitive thinker and creative problem-solver with a knack for uncovering genius where others see nonsense. Known for transforming unconventional ideas into groundbreaking solutions, he has helped global brands like American Express, Nike, Coca-Cola, and IKEA build human connections, captivate audiences, and redefine what’s possible.

As the author of Dumbify and creator of its popular newsletter, Carson inspires individuals and organizations to embrace “dumb” ideas—those that seem foolish at first but often hold the smartest answers. His work blends creativity and strategy, fostering environments where curiosity, fresh perspectives, and bold experimentation thrive.

Get smarter by thinking dumber