“What intellectual snobs we have become! Virtue is now in the number of degrees you have- not in the kind of person you are or what you can accomplish in real-life situations.” Eda J. LeShan, American Educator (1922-2002)
Barack Obama’s been exhibiting determination concerning the Gulf Disaster. He consults “experts” because he feels they have the most knowledge concerning this problem. Thus, they’re most likely to supply the solution to the problem. He wants to know just whose “a$$” to kick to get something done.
Benjamin Disraeli (Queen Victoria’s British Prime Minister) said, “there are three different kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics”. More to the point though was the statement of Walter Bagehot (assistant Editor of the “The Economist” and former President of the Society-1884) said: “An old jest runs to the effect that there are three degrees of comparison among liars. There are liars, there are outrageous liars, and there are scientific experts.”
We suffer governance under a group of “Know nothings” known as Congress and the current occupant of the Oval Office. They all have credentials but I call them “know nothings” because they’re politicians generally having little to no working knowledge of specific problems at hand.
They rely on “experts” to develop strategies for problems arising in the world. They consult military men concerning military problems, economists for the economy, scientists for science problems, etcetera ad nauseum. Ad nauseum because of the narrow scope of practical knowledge these people indicate having in their governance of America. They “know nothing” so they consult everybody agreeing with them. Then they run full-tilt toward an action that may or may not be good for the moment.
Obama has a Juris Doctor degree. So does your lawyer probably. But, Obama’s never run a company or practice. Nor did he accomplish much as a Senator from Illinois. He’s been a college professor. He’s a recognized expert on
Community Organizing from the Alinsky School of Radical Political Action (emphasis is mine). He may or may not be able to balance a checkbook. (Check the deficit and tell me what you think.) You have to wonder: why do we elect so many lawyers and so few business people like Lee Iacocca?
I’m no accountant either. But, I don’t claim to be the only one capable of running America or having the only solution to this crisis like some “experts”. In light of our present standing in the world community and knowing the “experts” piloting this ship of state, do you feel safe on the high seas of political intrigue? How do you feel about Congress’ actions of late and how’s that working for you? Are all the “experts” in the gulf thrilling you with their performance? Is their integrity in question for you? It is for me when I see them trying to contain oil flow rather than STOP it.
The problem with experts is: they’re only experts at what they studied. They are not modern gods slinging intellectual lightning-like mind-bolts to illuminate the dark recesses of human intelligence. Many times they’re people making “educated” (?) guesses. They get PAID for their theories and have a vested interest in assuring their theories earn more than the other guy. Many “experts” get paid for theory; not practical performance and results. Statistics can be rigged. Findings can be falsified. Projections can be prejudicially tilted toward the results the theorist proposes.
I’d suggest NOBODY gets paid unless the theory tests out in practicality and provides a solution. Let the risk of the program fall on the shoulders of the theorist until there’s relief of the symptoms calling them into the mix initially. Until “experts” get past the theory and prove the practicality, they need to risk more than the prestige of being a “presidential advisor” or a being proclaimed a “distinguished chair” in some obscure academic setting.
Expertise is no more than an elevated level of study conducted along a specific course resulting in a specific reward for the student. It doesn’t prove they know anything about what they claim to be talking about.
We need to stop deifying Academic Degree holders and recognize more practically based people.
Thanks for listening
