Book Review: Surrounded By Idiots

"The idiots who surround you are, in fact, not idiots at all. Instead, they are individuals worthy of respect, understanding, and being valued." - Thomas Erikson

Link to Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Surrounded-Idiots-Behavior-Effectively-Communicate/dp/1250179947

Before starting the whole essay, I have to admit that I bought this book mainly because of the title. The first time I saw the name "Surrounded by idiots," I thought it was referring to the fools surrounding us in our daily lives. I felt both curious and amused, so I decided to take a look.

But after reading it, I realised it was just another behavioral analysis book that divides people into different personality types. Compared to the MBTI, the author of this book suggests a more simplified classification, consisting of only four types:

1. Red personality - aggressive, controlling, independent, and straightforward

2. Yellow personality - enthusiastic, social, flexible, and creative

3. Green personality - patient, stable, reliable, and reluctant

4. Blue personality - systematic, reflecting, reserved, and conscientious

Although there are four major groups of behavior types, around 80% have a combination of two colors that dominate the way they behave. For myself, I’m like a mixture of green and yellow personality. 

"Surrounded By Idiots" is a book written by behavioral researcher Thomas Erikson. Erikson uses the DISC analysis tool with real-world case studies to understand the diverse personalities that surround us everyday. He examines how various personality types interpret events and preferences. The most interesting part of this book is that he transforms the once complex art of understanding people into a simple and entertaining personality study.

Many parts in the book made me laugh out loud and reminded me of some of my friends, showing how differently individuals view situations.

For example, one of the chapters discusses the many methods on how we should handle people who are different from us when they react and function in completely different ways, which is quite humorous and useful. He also includes extremely practical conflict resolution strategies,as well as solutions for each personality type to relieve stress.

Understanding these principles not only allows for better interaction with others of different personalities, but it also promotes self-awareness of one's own strengths and drawbacks. Of course, identifying one's personality color is not about restricting oneself to a framework, but rather about knowing oneself and others in order to generate additional possibilities for growth.

The author also introduces an excellent concept: sometimes when you are upset or frustrated with someone, it is simply because they have a different personality than you. Nobody is perfect, and each personality type has specific advantages and limits. Because of the unique traits of each personality, various behaviors and communication styles develop. However, because we fail to understand the fundamental differences in personality, we often find ourselves surrounded by people who appear foolish and with whom we struggle to interact.

In this journey, I viewed Erikson’s insights and advice as a guiding light in navigating the complexities of human interaction. “Surrounded By Idiots” would definitely be suitable for individuals who would like to better understand themselves, resolve workplace interpersonal conflicts, and executives or supervisors who must structure teams. If you want to learn how to comprehend and interact with other people, I totally recommend reading this book.