I once had someone argue mechanical advantage of a bicycle with me while I was at work. Building their bicycle. I was 25 or 26?
Anyway dude pulls the “Look kid, I have a degree, I was in school for almost a decade. I know what I’m talking about”
So I asked him what his degree was in.
He was an ENT doctor.
I actually laughed out loud and said “Until your degree includes engineering, try not to argue with science, and I’ll not argue medicine.” we weren’t getting angry while arguing or anything, all lighthearted ribbing mostly, but he was arguing with such conviction.
While I don’t have an engineering degree, I have specialized knowledge in this specific area. The other guy has way more education than I do, but it’s in a completely different field, but he figured that gave him some sort of authority on something.
Hyperspecialisation also doesn’t help.
Wouldn’t be the first time a renowned doctor thinks they know better than their accountant or lawyer, and fucks themselves over with their stupidity.
Relevant German word:
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Fachidiot
I once had someone argue mechanical advantage of a bicycle with me while I was at work. Building their bicycle. I was 25 or 26?
Anyway dude pulls the “Look kid, I have a degree, I was in school for almost a decade. I know what I’m talking about”
So I asked him what his degree was in.
He was an ENT doctor.
I actually laughed out loud and said “Until your degree includes engineering, try not to argue with science, and I’ll not argue medicine.” we weren’t getting angry while arguing or anything, all lighthearted ribbing mostly, but he was arguing with such conviction.
While I don’t have an engineering degree, I have specialized knowledge in this specific area. The other guy has way more education than I do, but it’s in a completely different field, but he figured that gave him some sort of authority on something.
It’s called an “expert idiot” in English.