Prometheus describes the phenomenon of the arrogance of ignorance:
...the real issue is that everybody thinks that they are "above average";and have difficulty comparing their abilities to those of others. In the absence of actual face-to-face comparison, they assume that their abilities are equal to or better than most people.Finally - a glimmer of illumination!
You see, it had always puzzled me that a person with, say, an MBA and a "Google PhD" (or, at least, a "Google MS") would have the temerity to accuse me of arrogance when I disagreed with them on a matter that is within my "sphere of special competence". I would have felt utterly foolish arguing with them about accerated depreciation or global marketing based on my "Wikipedia MBA", so I was dumbfounded that they were so confident at the same time that they were so clearly wrong.
Let me get past any false modesty here: I may not be the top in my field, but I know far more about biology, physiology and genetics than the average - or even above average - person. Even if they have an MBA. That isn't to say that somewhere among the 6.6 billion people on Earth there isn't somebody with an MBA who knows more about biology than I do. However, I feel confident saying that there aren't many people with no science background (apart from their MBA) that do.
So, who's the more arrogant; the person with a deep background in biology who states that the current data doesn't support a connection between autism and mercury or the person with no background in science (apart from Google-based "research") who insists that there is?
The biologist (kidding).
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Anecdotally, I've learned that I've been most ignorant when I felt most confident.
And when my opinions were disabused, I reacted through a continuum of shock, disbelief, obstinacy (to keep hold of my discredited beliefs) and finally, mercifully, to acceptance, integration and interest in furthering my understanding. It's that old nemesis, intolerance of ambiguity, that gets me every time.
Glad you wrote this, MM! Thanks-
Or how about the language nitpicker who states that the current data DON'T support a connection between autism and mercury?
Which leads to the question: who's more annoying the language nitpicker or her sister-in-law who believes the autism-mercury connection because she saw Jenny McCarthy on Oprah? (How very weird. One minute after I wrote that sentence, I looked up at the TV and saw J McCarthy spotted in the audience at the Superbowl.)
Well said, Annie. I also feel the same way at the beginning - shock & disbelief. Then I go to the literature. Then comes acceptance.
Anecdotally, I've learned that I've been most ignorant when I felt most confident.
And when my opinions were disabused, I reacted through a continuum of shock, disbelief, obstinacy (to keep hold of my discredited beliefs) and finally, mercifully, to acceptance, integration and interest in furthering my understanding. It's that old nemesis, intolerance of ambiguity, that gets me every time.
Glad you wrote this, MM! Thanks-
Posted by: Annie | February 3, 2008 7:00 PM
Thanks Annie,
This was extremely well put! I have had some lessons recently in this vein and notice that if I am willing to keep an open humble mind there are more of these lessons around than I realized! As someone who wants to be a perpetual learner I think your comment could be written on the wall and hopefully put to good use for a whole lifetime! LOL!
Dave Briggs :~)
Thanks, NC and Dave.
That's where I've indeed found my writing: on the walls of bathroom stalls. Best place in the world for philosphy and repentence!