We Have An Expert Problem

Is it me, or does anyone else feel crowded? I mean emotionally, spiritually, psychically and mentally crowded?

I blame the internet.

It used to be that there was a direct connection between knowledge, experience and expertise that one could access on an as-needed basis.

Not anymore.

There are no guardrails for people making claims that range from questionable to not even close to being true. Everywhere you turn these days there is a self-certified coach guiding the wellness paths and lives of people searching for something more, something better. But have you noticed that a large swath of these self-appointed experts/wannabe counselors are far from “well” themselves?

Then, we have a whole billion-dollar industry of “influencers” who are positioned as experts, but in truth, are really just mouthpieces paid to influence our thinking so we buy whatever it is they are selling. None of these people are vetted for legitimacy, which then raises serious ethical questions about a model designed to manipulate perceptions for personal gain. As illustrated in the 2021 documentary, Fake Famous, the influencing game is built on deliberate deception, smoke-and-mirrors and the illusion of something that isn’t actually there.

We can’t thrive or be happy and full if we are being lied to all the time, period.

So, when someone presents as an expert, especially if we are going to heed his/her advice, it’s time to ask, "Expert in what?" And why? And how? Look no further than Bill Gates who is out there swaying and setting public health policy without a medical degree, education or resume that indicates any kind of experience helping and treating sick people. Perhaps, again here, we've deferred to the wrong expert. And, perhaps, this is why the last two-plus years have been plagued with faulty information over and over again. Gates said, at the Munich Security Conference in February 2022:

Sadly, the virus itself, particularly the variant called Omicron, is a type of vaccine, in that it creates both T cell and B cell immunity, and it’s done a better job of getting out to the population than we have with vaccines. - Bill Gates

WTF?

What is so sad about that? About our bodies' natural ability to fend off infection and protect us from future disease because it is actually that smart? It's also something doctors know from their education and experience. At least, mine do.

Two more peeves and then I’m done.

Have you noticed how the Apple newsfeed is more QVC/HSN than reporting of actual news? More and more it is filled with “stories” about products you must have, sales you must not miss, roundups of the most popular items on the Internet. Oh, and of course, the celebrity favorites. Your life just will not ever be complete without them. Let's be honest. News is now a shopping catalogue, not a news channel like experts are no longer authorities. They are salespeople.

Finally, we have the fact checkers who are billed as the go-to experts of facts, only to find out they've been hired by the big media outlets to write up rebuttals to claims their employers don't like. The problem is there are no checks on the fact checkers. Even Facebook, probably the biggest self-proclaimed arbiter of truth, argued in court that their fact checkers’ checks were not actually based on fact, but rather on their personal opinions.

So, here we have it: The news isn't news. The experts aren't experts. The truth isn't the truth.