Self-thinking is perfectly acceptable
Unconditional faith in experts shouldn’t be the norm. Various authorities exist on every subject, some of whom offer invaluable insights, while others might lead us down the wrong path.
This was evident during the 2008 stock market plunge, where financial mavens classified high-risk investments as AAA-rated, because the bigger the approval, the bigger the rewards for them. Such catastrophic misjudgments had severe impacts on individual investors. Moreover, in the fiscal sphere, there’s no obligation for them to reveal that they’re being remunerated for their endorsements, thanks to the billions invested in political lobbies by Wall Street annually.
The moment we begin to question the prescribed wisdom of these experts, we face labels such as fanatics or conspiracy theorists. Should we take initiative and probe further, incorporating differing expert opinions, we’re accused of courting danger. We’re instructed to rely solely on the established intellectual leaders for our factual information.
“Just consider us as the only fact-checkers… until you hear it from us, it isn’t fact.” – New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.
Experts often exhibit a certain air of superiority. Their “you wouldn’t comprehend” attitude lurks just beneath the surface, fostering inflated egos.
As Richard Koch, author of The 80/20 Principle and 92 Other Powerful Laws of Nature, stated:
When experts, after dedicating enormous time, fail to conjure solutions, the first layperson they consult will instantly see the issue.
So here’s to the so-called ‘unqualified’!
Such arrogance blinded religious scholars during Jesus Christ’s ministry. Called “experts of the law”, their extensive knowledge ironically eclipsed their capacity to recognize the embodiment of the law standing before them.
The Bible verse, Luke 11:52 (NIV), warns, “Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering.”
There exists a notion that, armed with plenty of knowledge, one may lose their grounding in reality. This mistaken belief in one’s invulnerability to error can be seen exemplified in the phrase “I represent the science”, a statement made by Anthony Fauci. The implication of such a statement is, “Do not question my authority”. However, the sole custodian of the absolute truth is none other than God Himself.
At a different occasion, Jesus reprimands the law’s experts, saying,
“You pore over the Scriptures because you presume that by them you possess eternal life. These very Scriptures testify about me, but you are reluctant to come to me so you could have life.” (John 5:39–40, NIV)
While we may rely on experts for knowledge on a wide range of subjects, such as nutrition, health, and medical treatments, we must realize that they do not possess an exclusive claim to truth. It is possible that other professionals in the same field may reach different conclusions. Despite our potential lack of credentials, it falls upon us to study the facts and make our independent judgements. This process is entirely acceptable and inherently necessary.
