Anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that « my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge. »



People who are “unconsciously incompetent” don’t know they’re incompetent—they know so little about the subject that they can’t fully appreciate how little they actually know. That’s why every barber and taxi driver you meet is an expert on the economy and international politics.

Josh, Kaufman –  The Personal MBA


Being humble, here, means being aware of how difficult your instincts can make it to get the facts right. It means being realistic about the extent of your knowledge. It means being happy to say “I don’t know.” It also means, when you do have an opinion, being prepared to change it when you discover new facts. It is quite relaxing being humble, because it means you can stop feeling pressured to have a view about everything, and stop feeling you must be ready to defend your views all the time.

Hans Rosling. « Factfulness: Ten Reasons We’re Wrong About the World – and Why Things Are Better Than You Think. »



Nearly everything you know is secondhand: things you know only because someone told you.

Mindwise: How We Understand What Others Think, Believe, Feel, and Want – Nicholas Epley