The art of stupidity

As I have mentioned before, people are the defining factor in regards to the success of an event. That fact is awesome and terrifying to an event planner.

To quote Men in Black (that’s a legit source, right?), “A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky, dangerous animals, and you know it.” Admit it, it’s true.

It is remarkable to watch the overall intelligence and common sense of an individual drop when he or she becomes one of many in a crowd, and believe me, I am a guilty party as well.

Humans are adaptable creatures that quickly conform to their surroundings and the mentality of those around them, which can result in groupthink.

We’ve all seen it at large events. You look around and suddenly mature, intelligent people are throwing trash on the ground, yelling at event staff, ignoring the sink on the way out of the bathroom, picking fights, shoving someone a little too hard to get past them, etc.

In a way, humans are deviating to the lowest common denominator and a “survival of the fittest” instinct takes over.

I remember being at a bar several years ago (and I was not inebriated). I was sitting outside with a group of friends and as I looked around, I noticed the crowd was definitely grittier than I am (which for those who know me doesn’t take much). The longer I sat there, the more comfortable I became with the situational norm. Later on in the evening, a group of young guys, clearly college aged, showed up and were standing close to our table dressed very proper in khakis and button-up shirts with sweaters tied and slung over their shoulders, sipping on the smallest drink you can purchase.

I wanted to beat them up. That is not a healthy response.

Thankfully, due to my lack of inebriation, I was able to figure out what was happening, and I left the students alone (plus, I’m sure I would have lost that fight).

Event planners encounter these lovely human behaviors on a regular basis, and we have to go into an event and the planning process knowing that these challenges exist. For those of you who are planning an event, while you can’t avoid this phenomenon, the best advice I can give is to make things as absolutely simple and straightforward as possible for your guests. Make sure there is plenty of space to accommodate your numbers, have trash cans EVERYWHERE so people don’t have to find them, make sure you have proper security, etc. You get the idea. Assume the absolute worst, and you will get the best. And enjoy the stories along the way.