"Earnestness is stupidity sent to college"

This quote by P. J. O'Rourke is a humorous method of stating that earnestness, or taking something too seriously, can cause foolishness. O'Rourke is suggesting that when somebody is too earnest, they can become excessively focused on a job or goal and lose sight of the larger image. This can lead to them making choices that are not well thought out or that are not in their benefit. O'Rourke is implying that earnestness can be a form of naivety, which it is only when somebody is able to step back and look at the circumstance objectively that they can make the very best choices. He is suggesting that earnestness is insufficient, and that it requires to be integrated with knowledge and experience in order to work.