The tango between arrogance and intellect has been a known correlation for the longest of times. Being intelligent— especially more so than average, can make one feel more entitled to pronouncing themselves on their topics of choice. I remember listening to someone giving a religious sermon on the internet, and the way they portrayed these folks really amused me: they called them “intelligent fools”. I laugh, because I kinda see myself in that.
Further, it also seems that this virtual era we live in makes this phenomenon all the more obvious, with social media and the influencer frenzy and all that. It’s dangerous for those who may be less in touch with their sense of integrity, as it makes them more impressionable to the more confident-sounding individuals.
Now, going back to your initial question, why do we do that?
Because displays of conviction is positively effective in making people wanting to follow us. Listen, we’re all clueless— everybody has answers they’re looking for because they can’t figure themselves out. That’s why confidence attracts people like light attracts flies. That’s also why we will seek to deceive people into thinking we’ve got it all figured out, when deep down there is a clear lack of knowledge of self. It’s plain insecurity masquerading as pride. It’s just a way of protecting oneself from imaginary threats, and of simultaneously not feeling bad about it.
But don’t get me wrong… Experts do exist. I also believe that there’s good people out there, people who’ve found purpose in serving others, sharing knowledge being one of the many ways they go about it. But we gotta watch out for those who don’t have a clear curriculum to back them up. We also want to make sure that our moral compass is attuned with their claims, rather than just being swept away by perceived qualities they might possess but we don’t.
Thank you for asking this. It’s one of those questions that force us to stop and reassess. My favourite kind!
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