A few months ago, before the economic collapse, I had started asking people why they were still swallowing the economic claptrap they’d been fed for 3 or more decades, as though we didn’t finally have enough data to judge whether all that laissez-faire theory actually did produce a far better living standard and prosperity for everyone. As far as I could tell, the evidence suggested that it didn’t, and that in fact people weren’t as well off now as they’d been before this stuff started getting put into action.

So I’d say, “Waitwaitwait, you’re accepting what these theorists say, to justify their latest move to privatize stuff or whatever, as though it’s gospel truth, just because they’ve repeated it so often and so loudly. But we’ve got 3 decades of evidence now! Aren’t you even going to check to see if what they’ve claimed 1000 times before has come to pass, before you just accept their word that it will come to pass this time??”

And now I’m saying to people, “Waitwaitwait, you’re listening to the very same people who caused this economic collapse in the first place, and expecting them to tell you how to make it better?? What are you, insane?”

But when you’ve had “experts” proclaiming their theories and expertise loudly and incessantly for several decades, it’s very hard not to just accept that They Must Know What They’re Talking About, Just Ask Them.

I’m with you there! And, yes. It does apply to other areas than just science. “Religion” comes to mind…

Davida

I’ve been in many a meeting where nonsense was clearly put on screen (often complete with cool photographs and animations, slick twists and unsubstantiated claims, often in complete contradiction to the data they themselves are presenting) - yet I’ll be the only one to challenge it because they are “experts.” It’s nice to know I’m not alone out there.

And, Relax Max, that’s a heck of a compliment. Thanks!

Just a rant from my own sector.

I’ll have to get Tetlock’s book. I never heard of the Dr. Fox effect, but it sounds right on the mark. In fact it sounds almost like Jon Stewart’s segment. Great minds surely do think alike!