There is no shortage of strong opinions in the world today. You can’t go on social media without encountering a blog where someone disputes information presented by experts in the press. It’s as if we’ve become anti-experts in this country. Just because you feel strongly about something doesn’t make it true. Commenting on topics you know little about is potentially dangerous. If you only read articles or listen to blogs that validate your point of view, then by the very nature of your activity, you are biased.
It’s okay to have opinions. It’s also okay to not do the hard work of developing educated views if that’s who you are. What’s not okay is circulating poorly formed ideas or unsubstantiated claims to people as if they were true. The mark of an educated mind is that it is open to alternative points of view. Before disputing, you must listen to the experts, read their work, and sort through the evidence. To comprehend the manipulation of data, you must possess a fundamental understanding of statistics. Geopolitics is a complex and ever-changing field of study and not a wise domain for amateurs. You may not always know who to believe, but some people are more credible than others.
I certainly do not assert that any particular political party or group of individuals possesses all the answers. I think it’s fine to challenge the status quo thinking. The history of innovation and advancement in our society has been driven by people who challenged accepted ideas, but these innovators did the demanding work to get it right. They went to school. They studied. They experimented. They followed the scientific process. They learned from their expected mistakes. They didn’t just sit in their easy chair or in front of their computer and spout off opinions. I care more about what you “know” than how you “feel” about national or global issues. Is it reasonable to believe that our public officials intend to harm the economy or endanger human life without due consideration? Their job is to inform our elected officials, who then debate and make policy, craft legislation, and fund priorities accordingly.
Our society is becoming increasingly divided and tribal, which doesn’t bode well for our future. When you have a leadership mentality that is “you’re with me or against me,” I guess that is inevitable. Americans have rarely agreed on anything. Rigorous dialogue and debate are part of our culture and political heritage. However, there is a difference between educated civil debate and the clash of uninformed opinions. Speaking loudly and confidently doesn’t mean you’re right. Conspiracy theorists prey on the emotionally and intellectually vulnerable. Moreover, there is a stark contrast between the media, which follow the journalistic process and are bound by ethical standards, and individuals who operate without editorial oversight or adhere to basic research principles. The opinion pages are full of just that: opinions. There is now a whole class of people who populate these pages with strong views, often without any expertise on the topics they are writing about. Occasionally, reputable publications give space to experts, but it is rare. Reading Op-Eds alone doesn’t qualify as research.
Please do the work. If you’re unwilling to do the work, then please listen to the experts. If most experts agree on something, you should listen to them unless you’ve really researched the issue and fully understand their position before challenging them. I am amazed by the number of people who have only a high school understanding of biology (at best) and are willing to challenge the ideas of those who have spent decades conducting scientifically tested healthcare research reviewed by world-class experts. Public health officials are some of the most highly trained people in our society. If your intuition prompts you to question something, begin by expanding your knowledge base and asking questions before making hasty conclusions. Please also push yourself outside your comfort zone and review content relevant to the topic, not just what you like reading or listening to.
Sadly, there has always been an anti-intellectual strain that runs through American society. I’m not sure why that is. Perhaps it’s because we were discouraged by classmates who were obviously more intelligent than us and worked harder to excel. It made us feel inferior in some way. It can be unnerving to feel incompetent, especially as a young adult. In addition, it can be frustrating to read and try to comprehend the information provided in textbooks, especially if the topic only has a passing interest to you. It’s rare to have a teacher who inspires us to understand complex issues and stretch ourselves intellectually. Most of them are just trying to do their job and get through the day.
We like to make ourselves feel better by saying, “those people don’t have any common sense,” or “that’s not how it works in the real world,” or “The media is always biased (when it comes to science and facts, it should be),” or” they must have a hidden agenda,” etc. Skepticism is easy and takes little effort. Yes, of course, personal experience is essential, especially as it pertains to something you’ve spent your life doing or learning about. But self-confidence, street smarts, and life experience alone are insufficient in a medical crisis or economic meltdown. These are the times when we need to listen to the experts and let other experts keep them in check. The media should be questioning these experts to better understand the topic themselves, not advance a preconceived point of view. All the significant advances made in the last two centuries in medicine, technology, telecommunications, and other fields were created by knowledgeable individuals who worked extremely hard to develop their expertise and surrounded themselves with other competent individuals to advance their chosen fields. These advancements did not occur by accident. Technical experts, not social media influencers or paid talking heads with an automatic reflex to criticize what they really don’t understand, will help us navigate through the current crisis.
Lastly, please remember that success in one endeavor doesn’t necessarily translate to knowledge about everything else. Just because you excel in managing your business, selling products/services, resolving technical issues, or managing the accounting ledger, it doesn’t necessarily mean your expertise extends to other areas. Once again, I am not attacking your right to form personal opinions. Just avoid presenting them as equally weighted facts in a serious problem-solving conversation. It’s also advisable to express uncertainty or the need for further research more frequently than most of us do. And, there is no such thing as alternative facts. Critical thinking doesn’t mean biased thinking. You don’t change the facts to suit your opinion. It should work the other way around. Moreover, adults shouldn’t use social media to disparage people they disagree with. I think one reason it’s hard to find qualified people interested in public sector jobs is the nonsense they have to deal with once they get there. Personally, I am grateful that Dr. Fauci and his colleagues possess resilience, patience, and perseverance to ensure our progress. We are fortunate to have them, with their collective expertise.