Swedish author Thomas Erikson had nearly two decades of experience as a communications expert when he decided to write 'Surrounded by Idiots'. Gabriel Liljevall
Swedish author Thomas Erikson had nearly two decades of experience as a communications expert when he decided to write 'Surrounded by Idiots'. Gabriel Liljevall
Swedish author Thomas Erikson had nearly two decades of experience as a communications expert when he decided to write 'Surrounded by Idiots'. Gabriel Liljevall
Swedish author Thomas Erikson had nearly two decades of experience as a communications expert when he decided to write 'Surrounded by Idiots'. Gabriel Liljevall

'Surrounded by Idiots': How Thomas Erikson's self-help book defied rejection to become a bestseller


Razmig Bedirian
  • English
  • Arabic

Few supported Swedish writer Thomas Erikson's bid to write a self-help book about being a constructive communicator, much less one that had the provocative title Surrounded by Idiots. So, in the end, he had to go it alone.

"I went to a publisher in Sweden after I finished the book in 2012 and they said it was a stupid idea. 'Don't do it, it's a stupid title, people will get angry,' they said," Erikson, who appeared as part of this month's Emirates Airline Festival of Literature line-up, tells The National.

The publisher also detested the cover art, which features four silhouettes in blue, green, yellow and red – symbolising the four types of human behaviours Erikson elaborates in the book – calling the communication expert’s design “ugly".

Fortunately, Erikson says he was “always bad at taking advice” and decided to publish the book himself. “I had no money for PR or marketing,” he says. “So I drove around Sweden with a box of copies in my car, trying to convince stores to buy the book.”

Booksellers were hesitant at first but eventually bought a few copies from Erikson. As those copies swiftly flew off shelves, they contacted the author to purchase more.

“All of a sudden, boom,” Erikson says. Demand for the book skyrocketed and the orders came in piles. It was a triumphant moment for the writer to see a book shunned by publishers on display in every major bookstore in Sweden.

Since then, the book's success has only gained momentum. Surrounded by Idiots was released in English in 2019 and has, at this point, been translated into more than 40 languages, with the Arabic version scheduled to be released this month. The book has, to date, sold close to three million copies.

Thomas Erikson designed the cover of 'Surrounded by Idiots' himself. Thomas Erikson
Thomas Erikson designed the cover of 'Surrounded by Idiots' himself. Thomas Erikson

“I sometimes get asked why the book became a success,” Erikson says. “People have always been interested in relations and communications. We’ve all been in situations where we don’t seem to understand the people around us, or we can’t make ourselves understood.”

Erikson says the book’s title, though initially ridiculed by publishers, played a part in the book’s success. Yet the author wants it to be clear that he isn’t really calling anybody an idiot. Instead, what he is referring to is “that feeling when you leave a meeting feeling that everyone around you is an idiot".

"Everybody has been in meetings where they think ‘everyone in this room is an idiot except for me’. I think that’s a feeling many can relate to.”

The book’s title is meant to allude to that friction in communication that many find themselves experiencing, whether in a work or social setting. “Communication is tricky,” says Erikson, who has worked as a communications specialist for a number of businesses across Europe, holding lectures that taught employees and employers how to be better communicators.

Much of what's in Surrounded by Idiots is what Erikson has been teaching in his workshops for years. His ideas revolve around a colour-coded categorisation of human behaviour. In fact, most of the books he has released since Surrounded by Idiots – including Surrounded by Psychopaths and the upcoming Surrounded by Bad Bosses – are based on that categorisation system.

The colours – red, blue, green and yellow – take into account how introverted or extroverted a person is, whether they are more task-oriented or interested in building and maintaining social relations.

“The red ones are the decisive, competitive type,” Erikson says. “They are demanding, want things to be done as quickly as possible. Then you have yellows, who are more extroverted and relation-oriented, which makes them a bit easier to communicate with. They’re very creative and open-minded."

Salespeople and real estate agents usually have a dash of yellow in them, he adds.

"Then you have the green types, who are more introverted and calm, very caring, very sharing. They like to get along with everybody. They don’t like change. They’re good listeners," he says. "Finally there’s the blue type, very analytical. Accountants, lawyers and engineers. Detail-oriented, task-oriented and usually introverted.”

I'm mostly red and blue. I have some yellow and no green whatsoever. My parents are probably green so I don't know what happened

That’s not to say there are only four types of people. Erikson says a personality is usually made up of more than one colour. In most cases, we have varying degrees of all four colours operating within us.

“We can find ourselves using other colours but generally, when people are showing their true selves, they have one or two colours,” the author says. He describes his personality as made up of three colours. “I’m mostly red and blue. I have some yellow and no green whatsoever. My parents are probably green so I don’t know what happened.”

Erikson is now preparing to take Surrounded by Idiots online with a mobile app as well as a series of digital courses. While the app helps people identify where they and those around them fall in the spectrum of human behaviour, the online courses, which will be launched "any day now", offer a more elaborate version of what's in the book.

"The book was, in a way, a simplification of my lectures," Erikson says. "It was a challenge to pinpoint the most crucial bits and put them in Surrounded by Idiots."

The courses, in contrast, will be more in-depth and interactive. “My basic aim, whether through books or web courses or lectures, is to make people curious,” Erikson says. “To have them interested in the subject [of communication] and motivate them to learn more about themselves and other people.”

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How to improve Arabic reading in early years

One 45-minute class per week in Standard Arabic is not sufficient

The goal should be for grade 1 and 2 students to become fluent readers

Subjects like technology, social studies, science can be taught in later grades

Grade 1 curricula should include oral instruction in Standard Arabic

First graders must regularly practice individual letters and combinations

Time should be slotted in class to read longer passages in early grades

Improve the appearance of textbooks

Revision of curriculum should be undertaken as per research findings

Conjugations of most common verb forms should be taught

Systematic learning of Standard Arabic grammar

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.


- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law 

Conflict, drought, famine

Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.

Band Aid

Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.

Champions League Last 16

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Company Profile

Name: JustClean

Based: Kuwait with offices in other GCC countries

Launch year: 2016

Number of employees: 130

Sector: online laundry service

Funding: $12.9m from Kuwait-based Faith Capital Holding

Why seagrass matters
  • Carbon sink: Seagrass sequesters carbon up to 35X faster than tropical rainforests
  • Marine nursery: Crucial habitat for juvenile fish, crustations, and invertebrates
  • Biodiversity: Support species like sea turtles, dugongs, and seabirds
  • Coastal protection: Reduce erosion and improve water quality
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
  • Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
  • Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
  • Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
  • Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
  • Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
  • Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
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  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Part three: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021

Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.

The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.

These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.

“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.

“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.

“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.

“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”

Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.

There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.

“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.

“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.

“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Sustainable Development Goals

1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere

2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture

3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages

4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls

6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all

7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all

8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all

9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation

10. Reduce inequality  within and among countries

11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable

12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its effects

14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development

15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss

16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels

17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development

Copa del Rey

Barcelona v Real Madrid
Semi-final, first leg
Wednesday (midnight UAE)