Dunning Kruger

McArthur Wheeler was a big dude with a history of mental health issues. Tired of working a low-wage job, and bored with his situation, he decided to do something exciting.

Wheeler would rob banks. Sure, this was a high-stakes game, but Wheeler knew something the average person didn’t know. Wheeler had a plan:

Lemon juice.

Bank robbers typically want to obscure their face in some way, typically via a disguise or mask, but Wheeler didn’t need any of those things. He knew that lemon juice was used as invisible ink, so he smeared it all over his face.

Wheeler confidently strolled into two banks that day. Of course, the security footage clearly showed his face, unmistakable and unhindered by any invisible ink. Wheeler legitimately seemed flabbergasted by this, even saying five words that should have gone down in meme history:

“But I wore the juice!”

Alas, there were no memes back in 1995, so people did scientific studies instead.

Dr. David Dunning and his then-graduate student, Justin Krug…