False Confidence

[Martin Hash]

Of all the positives things the Internet has brought, one of the more insidious problems it has caused is the prevalence of self-proclaimed experts, and everybody thinks their opinion is just as valuable as anyone else's: just Google it, no expertise required. This has led to an ever-declining lack of wisdom, often called "common sense" but it is so uncommon now that it's an anachronistic irony. It has also led to a disdain for advanced degrees and professional licenses; who needs those, the Internet is more expert than any person could possibly be.

Consider how it works: you have a sudden insight about the earth being flat. You Google "flat earth" and dozens of links appear supporting your thinking; you must be a genius! Any argument, any position, Google your point-of-view and there are a hundred links supporting you. Who needs to learn about this stuff in school for 13 years to get a doctorate. Who needs impossible to get licenses when you have Google. Hell, who needs to listen to anybody, the Internet is your wing man.

[DBTrek]

The gatekeepers of knowledge have been slain.
So too, have the custodians of quality information.

[Kath]

Not much to disagree with, here, Martin.

Anecdote:

Our 19 year old is convinced he can learn how to drive by watching YouTube. He's pissed we want him to get a learner's permit. He's so pissed that he refuses to get one, complaining that he doesn't want to wait another year to get a license. In the meantime, three years have gone by with him not driving.

[Martin Hash]

Not much to disagree with, here, Martin.

Anecdote:

Our 19 year old is convinced he can learn how to drive by watching YouTube. He's pissed we want him to get a learner's permit. He's so pissed that he refuses to get one, complaining that he doesn't want to wait another year to get a license. In the meantime, three years have gone by with him not driving.

I think this is at epidemic levels. 19-year olds have never known any life without the Internet; there has never been a time when somebody knew better than they did.

[DBTrek]

Not much to disagree with, here, Martin.

Anecdote:

Our 19 year old is convinced he can learn how to drive by watching YouTube. He's pissed we want him to get a learner's permit. He's so pissed that he refuses to get one, complaining that he doesn't want to wait another year to get a license. In the meantime, three years have gone by with him not driving.

I think this is at epidemic levels. 19-year olds have never known any life without the Internet; there has never been a time when somebody knew better than they did.

There’s your best selling book.
Get writing!

[Kath]

I think this is at epidemic levels. 19-year olds have never known any life without the Internet; there has never been a time when somebody knew better than they did.

He's not graduating high school this year. Reason? The man is keeping him down. He'd graduate fine if he wasn't required to do any work, pass any tests, etc. This is the same school system that graduated the older boy without him ever passing a math test, so the standards are incredibly low.

He is Aspie, but that's not the point. He could easily graduate high school; he's incredibly smart.

[doc_loliday]

I think this is at epidemic levels. 19-year olds have never known any life without the Internet; there has never been a time when somebody knew better than they did.

He's not graduating high school this year. Reason? The man is keeping him down. He'd graduate fine if he wasn't required to do any work, pass any tests, etc. This is the same school system that graduated the older boy without him ever passing a math test, so the standards are incredibly low.

He is Aspie, but that's not the point. He could easily graduate high school; he's incredibly smart.

[Speaker to Animals]

I know in the fitness world, Youtube is filled with total assholes that have no idea what they are talking about. But, at the same time, I learned to do a lot of amazing things I am not sure how I would have learned prior to the internet.

Think back in the 90s. The gym was arcane as fuck. Most of us had no clue what to do or how to do it. Now you can get a plan and learn proper technique no problem -- other than learning to recognize the frauds and asshats from the people who actually know what they fuck they are doing and talking about.

So.. it's a double-edged sword. You can actually learn domains and skills that would otherwise mostly be unaccessible to you, but at the same time you have to figure out how to tell quality from garbage when you don't necessarily know the basics of what you are learning.

Here's a philosophy and mathematics example:



That guy's channel is really nice. In the past, modal logic was arcane as fuck, studied really only by analytical philosophers and computer scientists. Now you can learn that on YouTube. Boom.


Here are some lectures from Marvin Minksy:



Oh, you want to learn artificial intelligence from the best minds and don't have access to MIT? No problem, bro. YouTube it.

[Fife]

Looks like she nailed him. :sickburn:

[Hwen Hoshino]

I think this is at epidemic levels. 19-year olds have never known any life without the Internet; there has never been a time when somebody knew better than they did.

He's not graduating high school this year. Reason? The man is keeping him down. He'd graduate fine if he wasn't required to do any work, pass any tests, etc. This is the same school system that graduated the older boy without him ever passing a math test, so the standards are incredibly low.

He is Aspie, but that's not the point. He could easily graduate high school; he's incredibly smart.

Can't we just go back to people being capable of doing a job being allowed to?

What is the difference between the Chinese civic exam the current minimum hs shool education regime?