When did expertise and knowledge become dirty words in the USA? I was disheartened listening to the hearings for Trump’s cabinet picks. Clearly, Republicans put little value in candidates’ abilities, experiences, or expertise for the very complex cabinet posts at hand.
Instead, I heard questions and statements such as:
“How many pushups can you do?”
“How many genders are there?”
“Tell me why you love your wife.”
Seriously? Many questions about the detailed aspects of these cabinet positions received perfunctory non-answers. Secretary of Defense cabinet nominee Pete Hegseth’s most common response to any question was, “anonymous smears” –even when names were attached to statements. Tulsi Gabbard had difficulty explaining the responsibilities of the Director of National Intelligence. None of the cabinet nominees last week ruled out sanctioning illegal actions if Trump asked them to perform them.
Recent Pew Research studies indicate that the respect Americans have for subject-matter experts has dropped from 87 percent to 73 percent. Other research around anti-intellectualism indicates that one in three Americans harbors some resentful attitudes towards experts.
Both Trump campaigns doubled down on doubting the validity of experts on issues such as climate change, health policy, and the economy.
In general, Republicans tend to favor limiting government which, in some cases, means limiting the influence that experts in various fields have on our day-to-day lives. In essence, we are dealing with the backlash or resentment over so-called experts telling you how to live your lives. Today there’s a kind of arrogance that basically says my ignorance has just as much value as your knowledge.
In dangerous times such as these, authoritarian leaders instill fear in the populus and insist that only they are the messiahs who will save the country, and they must be obeyed. This approach also emphasizes racism and bigotry, often stressing the point that if you don’t fight back, you will lose your current place in the hierarchy. History has repeatedly shown that succumbing to such authoritarian leaders only leads to great unhappiness and upheaval in the end.
So, how do we combat this dangerous anti-intellectual movement? Here’s what the experts say.
Be OK with realizing you cannot know everything and become motivated and excited about ongoing growth and learning.
Understand that it’s OK to change your mind or point-of-view when new sound information becomes available.
Read about subjects that may not necessarily pertain to you or your work.
Carefully evaluate arguments in your reading and analyze whether such arguments are based on truth and fact.
Discover practical applications to theoretical ideas.
Welcome difficult conversations with friends and family to understand various positions.
In the meantime, here’s hoping the ridiculous conversations about windmills, sharks, and space lasers can be kept to a minimum.
The scientist Neil deGrasse Tyson once said, “There is no shame in not knowing. The problem arises when irrational thought and attendant behavior fill the vacuum left by ignorance.”
Something to think about.
Maria Grant was principal-in-charge of the federal human capital practice of an international consulting firm. While on the Eastern Shore, she focuses on writing, reading, music, and nature.
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