Comments on: None of the experts are experts https://www.isegoria.net/2014/10/none-of-the-experts-are-experts/ From the ancient Greek for equality in freedom of speech; an eclectic mix of thoughts, large and small Fri, 01 May 2026 21:33:15 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.6.1 By: Alrenous https://www.isegoria.net/2014/10/none-of-the-experts-are-experts/comment-page-1/#comment-1711410 Alrenous Tue, 28 Oct 2014 10:39:43 +0000 http://www.isegoria.net/?p=36514#comment-1711410

However, de Tocqueville came to the opposite conclusion: that in few places could one find ‘less independence of mind, and true freedom of discussion, than in America’.

Trusting that the system was fair and just, Americans simply gave up their independence of mind, and put their faith in newspapers and so-called ‘common sense’. The scepticism of Europeans towards public opinion had given way to a naive faith in the wisdom of the crowd.

Tocqueville also says democracy turns Americans against authority, but that’s inexact. Journalists, politicians, and actors are considered Authorities on public opinion, and are thus extended that naive faith, whereas Europeans have to constantly have it browbeaten into them. (Admittedly the browbeating seem to work.)

]]> By: Coswell https://www.isegoria.net/2014/10/none-of-the-experts-are-experts/comment-page-1/#comment-1707375 Coswell Mon, 27 Oct 2014 20:40:18 +0000 http://www.isegoria.net/?p=36514#comment-1707375 I think the central point is interesting and important, but the Nazis and Soviets had less trouble with combat fatigue than the U.S. did? Really? That’s news to me. The Soviets lost what, 10 million soliders during WW2. It seems they had less trouble with combat fatigue because they had no concern whatsoever for their soldiers and allowed them to be slaughtered in almost unimaginable numbers. I’d be curious to see evidence to the contrary, but I would guess that their way of dealing with “combat fatigue” was to ignore the issue altogether.

]]> By: AAB https://www.isegoria.net/2014/10/none-of-the-experts-are-experts/comment-page-1/#comment-1704920 AAB Mon, 27 Oct 2014 12:30:53 +0000 http://www.isegoria.net/?p=36514#comment-1704920 “None of the experts are experts” should be graffitid on every building where the public go and see ‘experts’ to remind Joe Public not to place too much, if any, faith in the opinion of the person in the building. It also begs the question why we defer to people in funny clothes (white lab coat, or royal crown, or bishops mitre etc) with funny sounding titles (Dr Ph.D, or Marquis, or bishop etc). Does anyone know the psychology behind defering to authority figures? The Milgram Experiment (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milgram_experiment) demonstrated that we do defer but AFAIK it didn’t explain why.

]]> By: Chris C. https://www.isegoria.net/2014/10/none-of-the-experts-are-experts/comment-page-1/#comment-1701895 Chris C. Mon, 27 Oct 2014 02:07:33 +0000 http://www.isegoria.net/?p=36514#comment-1701895 Most of the “experts aren’t experts” issues seem to have a lot to do with herd mentality and stakeholding. A member of an “elite” group (doctors, whether medical or PhD types) is not likely to buck the “experts”, who have their careers invested in the prevailing opinion.

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