Posted on 03/13/2026 5:38:18 AM PDT by MtnClimber
Occasionally I hear credentialed professionals with prestigious titles whine about the so-called “war on expertise.” It really bothers people who see themselves as “experts” that a growing share of society ignores them. A psychologist might intuit something revealing from the lack of self-confidence plaguing our “expert” class. If all the fancy degrees, voluminous curricula vitae, and lofty career positions have failed to instill a resilient modicum of self-esteem, then perhaps all those things are not the true measures of a person’s worth.
“Experts” do not like to be challenged. They say things such as, “I have a PhD in this,” or, “I get paid a lot of money to talk about that,” and expect everybody listening to stop thinking and immediately agree with everything the “expert” has to say. I once witnessed a young “race studies” professor intrude into an online debate and tell everyone that she was correct and everybody else was wrong. Her evidence? She cited the costs of her education, her recent promotion, and her new annual salary. Traditionally, that’s considered a specific kind of logical fallacy known as an appeal to authority. When appeals to “expertise” replace reason and rationality, false conclusions are more easily justified.
We have been living in an era rife with appeals to authority masquerading as truth. In fact, I came across something hilariously unsurprising as I was writing this essay. Because Internet search engines no longer operate as research tools but rather as propaganda aggregators, I often have to peruse many pages of search results before I find topical and pertinent sources. Leftwing disinformation index Wikipedia routinely receives prime placement for any online query. I decided to check how the propagandists at Wikipedia describe appeals to authority these days, and the editors did not disappoint (someone as cynical as I):
(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...
One thing I remember about my old favorite indie radio station WHFS in DC is they had a bumper from Dr. Timothy Leary in which he said, “Think for yourself, and question authority.”
It stuck with me. Now I’m unvaxxed and very happy about it.
You can bet that there are “experts” out there trying to figure out how to do shutdowns again.
The egghead characteristic that explains everything - “I say that I am awesome.”
Love it!
“All ‘authorities’ should be challenged.”
If you challenge the wrong authority you could find yourself in handcuffs in the back of a patrol car.
Good motto to live by. It’s why my tagline is one of my favorite Bible verses.
Many ignorant conservatives spend their entire lives in futile challenge of their superior betters
Many people are educated beyond their intelligence.
Anyone can proclaim themselves an expert. Anyone can build cred by giving presentations and writing “papers.”
And when “experts” “agree,” run, don’t walk, to the nearest exit.
This is something I picked up on a long time ago. At one time, getting into just about any University was very difficult. It wasn’t necessarily the money - you had to have the chops, and it was extremely competitive. Look at the caliber of graduates during the 1930s and 1940s, guys like Vannevar Bush (no relation) or Oppenheimer, or Ernest Lawrence.
What we have far too often today are imposters, and pseudo-intellectuals. They have the four star gold plated credentials, but they are oftentimes dumb as a post, yet they screech like wounded eagles demanding the respect and authority from a vanished time that no longer exists.
That's why they whine about "settled science", too stupid to know that science, i.e. the quest for truth, is never "settled," either too stupid to know it or too dishonest to admit it.
That's why they fight against "disinformation." To them, "disinformation" is anything that contradicts what they want everyone to believe.
Years ago, the world celebrated the challenge bright minds and truth seekers posed to authority. "The more the student challenges the professor, the more it delights him." Today Western educational institutions have become indoctrination centers, and Western Civilization and its foundation, viz. the unfettered quest for truth--truth for its own sake--are under threat.
On the flip-side, you need a leader. Don’t go it alone—that’s too primitive.
I especially love it when they try to play the credentials game with me.....what I call the "academic d*ck measuring contest". It goes like this. They spout some idiotic establishment opinion. I disagree. They then try the usual put downs of how I must be stupid or uneducated to have an opinion that differs from theirs. I then offer to compare our educational background if they'd like. I have a JD and an MBA and I speak 3 languages and have lived in 5 countries. 99%+ are going to lose that comparison. I know full well that doesn't make me smarter nor does it mean that I'm right - but they believe in that nonsense. So what now? Usually its some variation of "well MY degrees count but yours don't count! So there!". I just laugh.
Exactly. It turns out “experts” are human. They are just as prone to being motivated by self interest and groupthink as anybody else.
Trust facts and evidence that can be demonstrated. Don’t take anybody’s word for it. Don’t trust so-called “experts”.
Just thought about this this morning. In the ‘70s, a nutritious breakfast was; juice, toast, milk and Fruit Loops. Experts came up with that. Or maybe financial experts.
That’s another good point. The INSTANT they turned on a dime after warning of Covid non stop and said it was perfectly OK to go riot, they lost all credibility. I said in that second that they could never pivot back to being shrill about Covid again and be taken seriously.
Either its this big bad scary, health threat or its not.
Its not super super scary.....unless we like your politics in which case go ahead and do all the things we were just screeching at people not to do and don’t worry about Covid. The virus knows and likes your politics so it won’t infect you while you are on this holy mission.
Well, there you have it...... a JD. Anyone with a JD is automatically suspect
They said they needed two weeks. I gave them the two weeks. Three months later I told them to shut up, along with the rest of Florida.
They won't get two minutes the next time, much less two weeks.
Most experts aren’t. They are not qualified nor certified nor knowledgeable. Experts are just participation trophy now. Everyone wants to be one so they get to be one.
That doesn't include Vance, I hope
Hey if it helps, I was only ever in business law. Also, I know a bunch of lawyer jokes. :^)
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