I'm an expert, trust me! I routinely lie about what the facts are or even what my beliefs about the facts are because I'm a coward who cannot stand the thought of being ostracized for telling the truth, but trust me anyway! I have Credentials (TM)!

David Strom comments:

Smarter people, like Gladwell, are intelligent enough to know that the "consensus" was suspect, but they have gone along because the social pressure to conform has been enormous. The same is obviously true with climate change and, most certainly, most commonly accepted opinions.

They are not arrived at through thought, but through absorption for most people. The smarter set either know that the "consensus" is suspect or they accept it as the consensus of people who are more familiar with an issue. That is why The Science (TM) is so important--it gives the midwits and relatively smart people permission to give in to the social pressure without feeling too bad about it.

Good Wednesday! How are you all?

I'm on day two, the hardest day, of an extended fast. So far it's fine but I know the next 24 hours are going to be filled with constant thought about food.