7 things techies think they understand but really don't
Frankly, many software engineers and other "educated" folks on Blind are delusional about their grasp of the following.
1. Basic statistics: definitions of bias and skewness, anecdotes vs. causation, inference and extrapolation, survey methodology and flaws
2. Politics: office relations, national politics, international diplomacy and trade
3. Economics and financial markets: market efficiency, long-term risk vs. reward, transaction costs, reasons for differences in compensation
4. Social status: broader meaning of socioeconomic class, distinction between middle and upper class society
5. Psychology: learning psychology, interpersonal attraction and relationships, difference between social comfort vs. well-being vs. life satisfaction
6. Culture: diverse values, beliefs, and lifestyles of people within various classes (ethnicity, gender, religion, etc.)
7. Personal and public health: diet and exercise, meditation and mindfulness, COVID-19 (effectiveness of different types of masks, long-term risks, containment outside the U.S.)
How many of these can you answer at a level equivalent to having a bachelor's degree in the relevant field, and how often do people spew their personal opinions as "facts" (as if they are citing expert consensus from peer-reviewed scientific journals)? It is astonishing how much ignorance fuels exaggerated self-confidence. You may criticize Wikipedia, but even that can often provide much more accurate information than you will receive by asking such questions on Team Blind.
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Preach
There's a reason they have advisors with PhDs and industry leadership. The point is to listen to people with specialized experience, not follow herds of pseudointellectuals or conspiracy theorists, nor to become one of them.
1. Educate oneself with credible sources
2. Talk on what you are knowledgeable about, rather than what you don't know
3. Be humble and open-minded, focus on thinking critically before judging others
Sounds like it shouldn't be hard to do, but it's surprising how many fail at it