The return of the expert (Pandemic brings people back to those who know their stuff)

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 The return of the expert (Pandemic brings people back to those who know their stuff)

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• We hate experts: The spirit of the times (Zeitgeist) in 21st century was "hatred for the intellectual, scientist and expert" as he was an arrogant enemy. But suddenly, everyone needs the expert as a valuable adviser. Trump is now admiringly speaking of Dr Fauci!
• Who are experts: That No man is an island in himself, was known to homo sapiens since long. Division of labour was found essential, but that didn't make a society of experts automatically.

1. Expertise is about doing something very well, something that needs skills development over time, patiently
2. Extremely tedious practice is needed, with an open mind, and willingness to learn
3. One must be a good worker, able to absorb the broader culture

• A role model: As an example, there can be many gardeners, but few expert gardeners. Those are people who invested in learning, imagination and self-improvement. That is something special, that brings legitimacy. They can teach others well. So non-experts and novices are clearly seen apart.
• How to learn skills: You can do so formally or informally.

1. Informally – one works with one's own hands, like a farmer, gardener, cook  carpenter, potter, mistry, vaidya or healer
2. Formally – society is too complex now and formal schooling useful. But that is not enough to become an expert today. It needs a long period of training. Examples - doctors, engineers, architects, lawyers, physicists, historians, economists etc.

• Why derided: Experts have been mocked a lot, in recent years. Why?

1. First, society earlier overvalued shastric inherited knowledge (from parent to child), while denigrated informal knowledge of practical workers (the gardener). Then with modern civilisation coming up, the formally trained became arrogant, thinking of themselves as never being wrong. Lack of humility was a trouble, in a democratic set up.
2. Second, the creation of hierarchy around expertise, led to hatred for the experts. Experts jealously guarding their secrets without accountability made things worse. Example: the Brahmins who wielded a huge control over society in general.

• A bigger problem: The present population – which is literate and educated – thinks that competence is equal to expertise. People believe that knowledge comes easy. Patient learning is mocked. So people are willing to self-medicate, without experts' help. Many new age historians have popped up, who are cooking up stories constantly about the past, misleading people.
• The problem of internet: Since everyone accesses the Wikipedia, Google and WhatsApp, everything is true! The confirmation biases run riot, and any contrary evidence is rejected. Mobocracy in the world of intellect reigns! The experts have no place here.
• The pandemic arrives: In a country where blind superstition has been sold to everyone for a long time, suddenly the top leadership has been urging citizens not to believe in blind faith! We now are talking of actual data, facts, science and so on. A good beginning this is.
• Summary : Society is suddenly rediscovering the virtues of expertise and science, as the pandemic rages throughout India, and superstitions don't come to the rescue.

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