Illusion of expertise is dangerous.

Image is by Tim Heitz. Check his blog out for more excellent art work.

Read a great blog post from Seth's Blog that resonates on many levels. The old saying is "I know just enough to be dangerous".. perhaps that is true and the danger is ever increasing in an age of information.  We must learn to filter and understand who we are and what we know. We need a support community around us made up of experts, service providers, colleagues, and friends. We must use common sense, and not be afraid to ask for help from others. 

Are too many becoming "Amateur Scientists" these days, maybe even a bit of mad scientists? 

MY 2 cents:  You don't have to be an expert. You just have to be "good enough" and maintain the ability to rely on and communicate with real experts. Don't spend so much energy trying to justify(talking to myself here) just state what you think and move on. On the other side, we should spend time thinking about what we think and why.... That perspective is important to our decision processes. It is healthy.

REMEMBER:

Watching Law and Order doesn't make you an expert on justice.
Watching House doesn't make you a medical professional.
Watching Discovery channel doesn't make you a scientist, and watching the History channel doesn't make you a historian.

Best line from Seth's Blog for me

"people have added a veneer of scientific rationality to their irrational decisions. Armed with Zagats or internet data or some rumor off Snopes, we act as though now we're supremely rational choicemakers."