If it is in the best interest of the expert to keep me stupid, then I immediately do not believe anything they say. If they attempt to intimidate me into acquiescence, then they are dismissed. This, ladies and gentlemen, is how to keep the evil from gaining a foothold.
My friend Robert M. posted this the other day on his social media feed: “So…I guess NOW we all have to possess a degree in any given subject in order to have credibility to speak about it?” My friend loves to point out absurdities and often comments upon news stories, politicians, and current events. Robert is a hoot.
Another of his friends, Dennis L., replied to Robert’s question: “No, but I do think that spending years doing research on a topic makes somebody a more knowledgeable voice.”
Knowledgeable voice: We will come back to this phrase, so remember it.
Upon reading Dennis’ reply, though, I thought: Sure, he’s right…if all things were black and white. Poor fella, he doesn’t understand the nuance of gray. So I replied to Dennis this: “Dennis, one might think that would be true. But all things about the person are not known. A few things come to mind….” Here are the brief points I made in order as subheadings. I shall now expound upon here.
One: Are they capable…
…of understanding the subject? Degrees are handed out like candy these days. Many have become meaningless. For instance, I was invited to a networking event and, like a good networking body that I wanted to be, was working the room like a politician: Meeting, greeting, shaking hands, and kissing babies.
The “babies” in this instance were folks’ new business ventures. How could I — writer, graphic designer, and print broker — help them? The best way to know that was to find out about their needs and goals. One eager man handed me his business card. His name was followed by Entrepreneur and a panoply of letters proudly attesting to his status as Educated More Than You.
Now, I know what an entrepreneur is. But being an entrepreneur is not the same thing as doing something. So I asked him what he, as the entrepreneur, was doing as a business. His answer was: I’m an entrepreneur. Yes, says I, but an entrepreneur in what? “I’m an entrepreneur,” he repeated. Okay, yes. I get that, but how are you wanting to make money? What is your business doing, selling, providing, and to whom?
The man stared at me like I was an idiot, repeating slowly and not without anger: I. Am. An. EntrepreNEUR!
In the interest of not starting a networking version of a bar fight over the best way to use a comma (which I did though not meaning to), I smiled and nodded. “Ah, got it. Well, I wish you every success. If I can help you, let me know.” I never heard from him.
Two: Are they willing…
…to have their knowledgeable voice tested? If not, why not? Our entrepreneur above had his knowledgeable voice tested, was found wanting, and got angry. So the big question is: Why did he get angry?
Because with one simple question the gap in his knowledge was identified and all that time and money he spent to get all those letters marching across his business card were for naught in the real world. Was he stupid, the kind that goes bone deep where nothing can help? Was he naïve and tricked because he failed to question the experts selling him on their degree guaranteeing his success? I don’t know. But one thing is for certain: You don’t have to spit very far to find there’s a bunch of these types getting duped only to then request you do as they say without question.
Doctors and psychiatrist/psychologists. Financial advisors. Teachers. Mechanics (or, as I fondly call most of them: parts changers masquerading as diagnosticians). Politicians. Leaders of rah-rah-sis-boom-bah-you-can-do-it-too seminars. And more. For sure you can add to that list of the many, if not most, people that do not like it when their knowledgeable voice is questioned in the field of their choice.
Three: Are they using it for good…
I believe individuals are responsible for their choices; free will and all that. At the same time, I also hold accountable those who, to make a buck or gain an advantage over trusting souls, manipulate, lie, and deceive. It behooves such trusting souls to take off their hat of naivety and become more cynical.
Just a few basic questions — who, what, when, where, why, and how — should reveal the real motivations of the owner of the knowledgeable voice. If upon asking those, anger arises from that person. Or they begin to gaslight you by attempting to make you believe really smart people already know this so too-too bad you aren’t. Then you can know it won’t be a good thing for you and you move on.
Four: What is their motivation…
…for telling others to listen to them? Truthfully, many are enamored of power. Some are enamored of money. But the one enamored of power and money is the worst. Those so enamored have many strong pulls to the dark side of of their conscience. High and good ethics, morality, principles, and scruples often go out the window. They may have started out wanting to help others, but…just look at politics and religion: Power corrupts. Absolute power…you know the rest.
Five: Are they manipulating…
…people with that knowledge and forcing people by demand, intimidation, or force of law without allowing freedom to choose? Hospitals have a Patient Bill of Rights. I include the full text here of a representative form. Read it, note the underlined bold words, then continue with the article.
PATIENT BILL OF RIGHTS
You have the right:
- To safe, considerate and respectful care, provided in a manner consistent with your beliefs;
- To expect that all communications and records pertaining to your care will be treated as confidential to the extent permitted by law;
- To know the physician responsible for coordinating your care;
- To receive complete information about diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis from the physician, in terms that are easily understood. If it is medically inadvisable to give such information to you, it will be given to a legally authorized representative;
- To receive information necessary for you to give informed consent prior to any procedure or treatment, including a description of the procedure or treatment, any potential risks or benefits, the probable duration of any incapacitation, and any alternatives. Exceptions will be made in the case of an emergency;
- To receive routine services when hospitalized or receiving treatment otherwise in connection with your protocol. Complicating chronic conditions will be noted, reported to you, and treated as necessary without the assumption of long-term responsibility for their management;
- To know in advance what appointment times and physicians are available and where to go for continuity of care provided;
- To receive appropriate assessment of, and treatment for, pain;
- To refuse to participate in research, to refuse treatment to the extent permitted by law, and to be informed of the medical consequences of these actions.
One could substitute investor, citizen, and customer for patient in the above and change a few other words to get what would be a Bill of Rights to suit many situations.
Oaths now taken by politicians are now just empty words to most of them.
The Hippocratic Oath is meaningless in today’s government-run healthcare environment.
The value of vetted information in order to make a decision that is best for your situation and then consent to a course of action cannot be overstated.
Informed decision in order to consent means…
…informed from correct information and having one’s questions answered to one’s satisfaction. If the one with the knowledgeable voice has the correct or best knowledge of a subject, how does anyone know unless one questions?
Don’t be intimidated.
Dig for the facts.
Stay informed.
Then choose.
I say again: If it is in the best interest of the expert to keep me stupid, then I immediately do not believe anything they say. If they attempt to intimidate me into acquiescence, then they are dismissed.
The power of words and their nuances can be difficult enough to process at normal, non-stressful times. They can especially be tougher to comprehend when under pressures, like now. There is value in slowing down the steam engine of opinion headed your way. Remember this from the poem “If” by Rudyard Kipling (1895):
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too:
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise…
…Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!
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Born and raised in Georgia, Angela K. Durden is an author, publisher, editor, songwriter, performer, and more, living in the Metro Atlanta, Georgia, area. Support your Citizen Journalist by visiting her Consolidated Author Page and buying a book or three. See more about Angela here. Want to watch a fun video? Click here.
