The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise. -- Proverbs 12:15
A common theme on the Right is that after 2020, they will never trust the "experts" again. Yes, many experts beclowned themselves in 2020, and I do not need to go through all of that again for the purposes of this article. But we should be careful not to swing too far in the other direction. Experts do exist, and they do know a lot more than the general population and probably most of the people reading this article. One thing I know for sure is they know a lot more than I do. You should be wise and discerning in what experts you trust, but you should not ignore the fact that experts exist and provide useful information and advice. We should not become anti-intellectual as an over-correction to corruption.
When people say they refuse to listen to experts, they are not actually refusing to listen to anyone but themselves and the call to "do your own research." They are transferring that trust from one source to a new source. Who is the new source? Tucker Carlson? Alex Jones? Even if you are not listening to an "expert" compile things for you, "doing your own research" involves reading, listening to or watching sources that are providing that information. You are not personally doing scientific research, you are not personally testing drugs, and you are not personally reading troves of documents and conducting interviews. The question is not whether to trust, but who to trust.
There are many areas of life where we trust experts. When you get onto a plane, you are trusting the pilot not to crash nose-first into the ground. You trust the surgeon not to kill you and you trust the supermarket not to sell poisoned or rotten food. You trust that the Lithium battery in your smartphone, tablet or laptop has been engineered well enough that it will not catch fire or explode. And yes, if you are a Christian you trust the man in the pulpit to properly preach the Word of God to you on any given Sunday, so that you can be instructed and spiritually edified. That last bit is important. We are all corrupted by sin and our judgment is clouded as a result. Fellow Christians or church leaders might be able to see and provide insight into your life that you are missing.
Be teachable. Be humble enough to recognize that you do not know everything and others know more than you do. Do not be so proud that you will only do what is right in your own eyes and that no one will ever tell you what to do. Above all, set a good example for your children by being humble and teachable, so that they will want to follow that example. No, this is not a call to be gullible. It is a call to be wise.
No, we should not totally reject the experts
We should not become anti-intellectual as an over-correction to corruption.
