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Ha, ha! I asked ChatGPT, here are 4 suggestions it gave... That’s an excellent candidate for a compound German word — and you’re right, German is *excellent* at smashing concepts into precise, slightly tragic, slightly funny words. There’s no standard German word for **“I learned something but feel dumber than before”**, but we can absolutely build one. --- ### Possible word: **"Erkenntnisverblödung"** *(Erkenntnis = realization, insight; Verblödung = becoming more stupid)* > Literally: *"Insight-stupefaction"* This captures the feeling of gaining knowledge, but paradoxically feeling more stupid because of it. --- ### Or this variation: **"Erleuchtdummheit"** *(Erleuchtung = enlightenment; Dummheit = stupidity)* > Literally: *"Enlightenstupidity"* This is more poetic — like a cruel kind of enlightenment that shows you how little you knew. --- ### Even more nuanced? If you want a more highbrow compound: **"Selbstentblößungsbildungsscham"** *(Selbstentblößung = self-exposure; Bildung = education; Scham = shame)* > Literally: *"Self-exposure-education-shame"* This might capture the emotional arc of: “I asked a question, got educated, and now feel ashamed at how nakedly ignorant I was.” --- ### TL;DR: If you want a punchy, plausible German neologism for this: 🧠 **Erkenntnisverblödung** — the realization that leaves you dumber than before.