HI Billy, As usual, I think we are talking past each other:
> no-one needs to be expert at anything; after all, whatever you want to know > is as near > as Google. Just look it up. Let me try to clarify my position, to see if I can get you to actually disagree with *me* rather than a straw man. My main point is actually the same as yours "you need to be able to ask the right questions, or turn to the best sources of information” THAT is my larger concern. How do we get people to ask the right questions? How do we train them on how to find the right information when they need it? This is a really hard problem. Even true experts often fail to ask the right questions, despite their vast knowledge. Sometimes their vast knowledge actually makes it MORE likely for them to make stupid mistakes, because they over-index on what they know. Therefore, what *I* am arguing for (whether or on Silicon Valley agrees with me) is that we need to prioritize WISDOM over the mere accumulation of knowledge. Sometime Wisdom requires acquiring knowledge, sure. But sometimes it requires emptying yourself. The Middle Path, as you pointed out. :-) Would you disagree with that? - Ernie P. > On Sep 8, 2018, at 12:28 PM, Billy Rojas <[email protected]> > wrote: > > Ernie: > One important thing we discussed during our recent conversation was > the idea (actually a myth) popularized by Silicon Valley that no-one needs > to be expert at anything; after all, whatever you want to know is as near > as Google. Just look it up. The same principle apples to doing anything; > all the how-to information is as close as the Web, that is, instantaneously > or nearly instantaneously. > > I was critical of this idea at the time. I have now been watching a lecture > by Nomi Prins at one of her stops for her book tour, promoting her latest > tome, > Collusion: How Central Banks Rigged the World. I now realize that my > criticism was much too mild. I should have yelled and screamed that > the whole idea, that nobody needs to learn much of anything as long as > they have access to a top notch computer (or even just a cell phone) > is utterly ridiculous and terribly dysfunctional. > > Not that you will do so, but let me urge you to look up Nomi Prins in the > C-Span > menu for today, September 8, 2018, and listen to her talk. She is a prime > example > of a walking encyclopedia; indeed, metaphorically I got a headache listening > to her. > Not because she was a crank or said dumb things, but because of the opposite. > I thought that my poor little head would explode. Damn!!! She provided > a cascade of information that got deeper and deeper as time progressed, > and she was utterly succinct each step of the way, not a gram of fluff > in anything she said, everything to the point and well considered. > > I can't say if she is correct in her prognoses of the fate of the economic > system > but it does square with the August issue of FORTUNE, that we are well along > in the process of formation of a major bubble and need to beware of the > consequences. > But Nomi Prins spelled it all out, to the effect that the financial crisis of > 2008 - 2009 > was a disaster not because of the mess at the time, which was horrible, but > because > the central banks have repeated the process that led to the mess in the first > place > only this time they are more powerful than ever and nearly all critics of the > system > have been marginalized and have no voice in councils of government. > > This POV also squares with the general critique made by Kevin Phillips in the > past > who, as you know, is my exemplar in things finance, not exactly a hero > but someone I admire greatly in this realm. > > Much (much) more can be said about the substance of economics but the point > is that nobody can possibly ask questions, propose recommendations, offer > analyses, > you-name-it, who is not a walking encyclopedia of a subject, who knows the > subject > inside and out. "Just look it up on Google"? WTH? > > First of all, there is a good chance that if it is really important it won't > be available > on Google, it may be propitiatory, or only available in book form (hard copy > books) > or still be in process in the work of scholars or researchers, or "other." > > Secondly, you need to be able to ask the right questions, or turn to the best > sources > of information. If your knowledge base is limited or poor then you won't be > able > to ask the right questions or know what to look for. > > All of which would be abundantly clear if you listened to Nomi Prins. > > Throw out Silicon Valley wisdom on the subject; that 'wisdom' actually is > pure folly, not worth anything at all. > > > My humble opinion > Billy > > > > -- > -- > Centroids: The Center of the Radical Centrist Community > <[email protected]> > Google Group: http://groups.google.com/group/RadicalCentrism > Radical Centrism website and blog: http://RadicalCentrism.org > > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Centroids: The Center of the Radical Centrist Community" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. -- -- Centroids: The Center of the Radical Centrist Community <[email protected]> Google Group: http://groups.google.com/group/RadicalCentrism Radical Centrism website and blog: http://RadicalCentrism.org --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Centroids: The Center of the Radical Centrist Community" group. 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