In the interest of using this thing.

[onefivenine]

I used to know a guy who was a completely insufferable ass about a lot of things, but especially about topics that related to his area of expertise. He'd just be a complete chiding jerk to people with nothing more than a lay person's background in his field, essentially mad that they didn't know as much as he did. But, I used to tell myself, this is the cost of expertise in something esoteric; you forget what people do know, and you become mad when they don't.

But now I realize, in recalling him, I also have a degree in something esoteric, and I've gotten mad when someone's been mistaken about something in my field once (and it was basically slandering the whole field, not a factual error), not literally constantly like this guy.

So really, I guess the moral is don't be a jerk just because you're smart, even if you feel like it's warranted.

Comments

[frostmantle]

I mean that's just a good life lesson in general.