Comments on: The Demise of the Expert http://www.academicperspective.com/2009/10/28/the-demise-of-the-expert/ Wed, 25 May 2011 23:23:54 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.1 By: Tyler Pease http://www.academicperspective.com/2009/10/28/the-demise-of-the-expert/comment-page-1/#comment-141 Tyler Pease Sun, 08 Nov 2009 14:11:39 +0000 http://www.academicperspective.com/?p=242#comment-141 Thank you Eva for your criticism. It isn't too much. In reference to your specific points, this piece was a commentary piece, not an article intended to present news or even a thesis paper. It is merely something to present my ideas, with a little evidence, to produce a discussion. As you may see in the comments below yours some discussion has taken place, though most people there seem to be in agreement with the primary focus of the article and as a result the conversation isn't very heated. In the future, I'd be glad to look for more, direct sources if you and the rest of the readers desire them. Thank you Eva for your criticism. It isn’t too much.

In reference to your specific points, this piece was a commentary piece, not an article intended to present news or even a thesis paper. It is merely something to present my ideas, with a little evidence, to produce a discussion. As you may see in the comments below yours some discussion has taken place, though most people there seem to be in agreement with the primary focus of the article and as a result the conversation isn’t very heated.

In the future, I’d be glad to look for more, direct sources if you and the rest of the readers desire them.

]]> By: Eva Sachs http://www.academicperspective.com/2009/10/28/the-demise-of-the-expert/comment-page-1/#comment-132 Eva Sachs Wed, 04 Nov 2009 02:51:32 +0000 http://www.academicperspective.com/?p=242#comment-132 I commend everybody who has been working on this site. It has clearly taken all of you a lot of time, hard work and dedication. However, there were a few things I noticed in this article (and a few others) that could use some work. First of all, quotes. This article could and should be full of quotes that the journalist got through interviews. With an article like this, it is not hard to find somebody who's knowledge, occupation, interests or point of view are relevant to the topic. A doctor, perhaps - maybe even your own physician - could talk to you about the H1N1 vaccine. Ask friends and acquaintances whether they or somebody they know is planning to avoid the H1N1 vaccine or voted against Obama in the election. Ask the people with these views for an interview. The worst case scenario they'll say that they don't want to be interviewed, but chances are you'll find somebody who is willing to talk to you. Secondly, phrasing is everything. Take, for example, the comments in this article about swine flu parties. According to the article, "This practice has been heavily and hurriedly denounced by health professionals the world over, but though no evidence of any swine 'parties' has yet been made public, past occurrences of measles and chicken pox parties suggest that swine parties have already taken place." How do measle and chicken pox parties suggest that swine flu parties have already occured if there is no other evidence? Measle and chicken pox parties may suggest that there is a high likelyhood that there are people who are inclined to hold swine , but if you're going to say that swine flu parties have probably already happened, you need to support that statement. As written, the sentence suggests that guessing that "already taken place" might be a bit of a leap. This is a long response and I know it's a lot of criticism to take, but don't get me wrong, you've clearly worked hard and, for a beginning journalist, it's an okay article. I encourage you to learn both from what you did well and what you did badly. You clearly did at least a decent amount of research. Next time I encourage you to do more. And talk to people. If you can find an expert whose knowledge is relevant to your story, talk to him or her! Use a phonebook if you have to. As somebody who is usually very shy when talking to strangers, I understand that it can be difficult, but you'd be surprised at how willing people are to talk about something they know and care about. In fact, Jake Silberg, who, I noticed, is writing for you guys, is actually one of the people who helped me realize that and get over some of my discomfort with going out and annoying people until they talk to me. I commend everybody who has been working on this site. It has clearly taken all of you a lot of time, hard work and dedication. However, there were a few things I noticed in this article (and a few others) that could use some work.
First of all, quotes. This article could and should be full of quotes that the journalist got through interviews. With an article like this, it is not hard to find somebody who’s knowledge, occupation, interests or point of view are relevant to the topic. A doctor, perhaps – maybe even your own physician – could talk to you about the H1N1 vaccine. Ask friends and acquaintances whether they or somebody they know is planning to avoid the H1N1 vaccine or voted against Obama in the election. Ask the people with these views for an interview. The worst case scenario they’ll say that they don’t want to be interviewed, but chances are you’ll find somebody who is willing to talk to you.
Secondly, phrasing is everything. Take, for example, the comments in this article about swine flu parties. According to the article, “This practice has been heavily and hurriedly denounced by health professionals the world over, but though no evidence of any swine ‘parties’ has yet been made public, past occurrences of measles and chicken pox parties suggest that swine parties have already taken place.” How do measle and chicken pox parties suggest that swine flu parties have already occured if there is no other evidence? Measle and chicken pox parties may suggest that there is a high likelyhood that there are people who are inclined to hold swine , but if you’re going to say that swine flu parties have probably already happened, you need to support that statement. As written, the sentence suggests that guessing that “already taken place” might be a bit of a leap.
This is a long response and I know it’s a lot of criticism to take, but don’t get me wrong, you’ve clearly worked hard and, for a beginning journalist, it’s an okay article. I encourage you to learn both from what you did well and what you did badly. You clearly did at least a decent amount of research. Next time I encourage you to do more. And talk to people. If you can find an expert whose knowledge is relevant to your story, talk to him or her! Use a phonebook if you have to. As somebody who is usually very shy when talking to strangers, I understand that it can be difficult, but you’d be surprised at how willing people are to talk about something they know and care about. In fact, Jake Silberg, who, I noticed, is writing for you guys, is actually one of the people who helped me realize that and get over some of my discomfort with going out and annoying people until they talk to me.

]]> By: Ben Drucker http://www.academicperspective.com/2009/10/28/the-demise-of-the-expert/comment-page-1/#comment-122 Ben Drucker Mon, 02 Nov 2009 20:51:38 +0000 http://www.academicperspective.com/?p=242#comment-122 <a href="http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/books/2009/11/02/091102crbo_books_kolbert" rel="nofollow">This article</a> from the New Yorker is very relevant to this topic. This article from the New Yorker is very relevant to this topic.

]]> By: Ben Drucker http://www.academicperspective.com/2009/10/28/the-demise-of-the-expert/comment-page-1/#comment-94 Ben Drucker Thu, 29 Oct 2009 23:32:19 +0000 http://www.academicperspective.com/?p=242#comment-94 I will keep this short, since this is totally off the topic of the article. Maybe something like this exists elsewhere. As I said, all my claims are based on what Google can find. Which is nothing. I did find a few site hastily made on Blogger which had 5 posts and then died several years ago. Search for "how did wall street collapse 2007-2009". We're hit #2, right after Wikipedia. Maybe something else is out there, but I can't seem to find it. And if I can't find it, how will other people? I will keep this short, since this is totally off the topic of the article. Maybe something like this exists elsewhere. As I said, all my claims are based on what Google can find. Which is nothing. I did find a few site hastily made on Blogger which had 5 posts and then died several years ago. Search for “how did wall street collapse 2007-2009″. We’re hit #2, right after Wikipedia. Maybe something else is out there, but I can’t seem to find it. And if I can’t find it, how will other people?

]]> By: Brendan Vogt http://www.academicperspective.com/2009/10/28/the-demise-of-the-expert/comment-page-1/#comment-87 Brendan Vogt Thu, 29 Oct 2009 22:52:50 +0000 http://www.academicperspective.com/?p=242#comment-87 Hey all of these articles are fantastic guys i applaud what your doing this is amazing. Although about your description.....and the whole nothing like this has ever been done before?.........like what students getting together and making a website to express their opinions....i mean i guarantee that this exists somewhere else. Especially college kids, they live for this kinda stuff, just wanted to ask where your getting that information. This isn't me bashing you though guys this is truly well done. Hey all of these articles are fantastic guys i applaud what your doing this is amazing. Although about your description…..and the whole nothing like this has ever been done before?………like what students getting together and making a website to express their opinions….i mean i guarantee that this exists somewhere else. Especially college kids, they live for this kinda stuff, just wanted to ask where your getting that information. This isn’t me bashing you though guys this is truly well done.

]]> By: William Nzioka http://www.academicperspective.com/2009/10/28/the-demise-of-the-expert/comment-page-1/#comment-82 William Nzioka Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:53:21 +0000 http://www.academicperspective.com/?p=242#comment-82 Justin, it just proves that politics is very much founded on spinning information to aid a particular cause. His extensive civics education should give one a window into his understanding of government, especially considering he attended one of the most prestigious universities worldwide. And I remember hearing something similar Donald. It's really scary, and compounding the problem is the cultural stigma attached to being an "intellectual," if you can even call it that. A case in point: the shunning of experts, especially when it comes to professional medical advice, is commonplace in many an African community for example. The AIDS infection rate has exploded due to the popularly held belief that having sex with a virgin is the cure for the disease. P.S: I liked the article. Justin, it just proves that politics is very much founded on spinning information to aid a particular cause. His extensive civics education should give one a window into his understanding of government, especially considering he attended one of the most prestigious universities worldwide.

And I remember hearing something similar Donald. It’s really scary, and compounding the problem is the cultural stigma attached to being an “intellectual,” if you can even call it that.

A case in point: the shunning of experts, especially when it comes to professional medical advice, is commonplace in many an African community for example. The AIDS infection rate has exploded due to the popularly held belief that having sex with a virgin is the cure for the disease.

P.S: I liked the article.

]]> By: Ben Donald http://www.academicperspective.com/2009/10/28/the-demise-of-the-expert/comment-page-1/#comment-78 Ben Donald Thu, 29 Oct 2009 03:30:16 +0000 http://www.academicperspective.com/?p=242#comment-78 I remember, last year during the elections, hearing on the radio and interview in which the question was asked, "Do you want the president of the United States to be smarter than you?" The person, an average joe calling in, responded, "No." Scary... Anyway, I enjoyed this article, good work. I remember, last year during the elections, hearing on the radio and interview in which the question was asked, “Do you want the president of the United States to be smarter than you?” The person, an average joe calling in, responded, “No.”

Scary…

Anyway, I enjoyed this article, good work.

]]> By: Ben Drucker http://www.academicperspective.com/2009/10/28/the-demise-of-the-expert/comment-page-1/#comment-76 Ben Drucker Wed, 28 Oct 2009 21:37:31 +0000 http://www.academicperspective.com/?p=242#comment-76 I've been thinking about this since I heard it discussed on Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me during the 2008 election. You've articulated the problem beautifully. As the WWDTM panelists remarked, why wouldn't we want someone better than us running out government? If I wanted someone like me, I'd run for president. I’ve been thinking about this since I heard it discussed on Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me during the 2008 election. You’ve articulated the problem beautifully. As the WWDTM panelists remarked, why wouldn’t we want someone better than us running out government? If I wanted someone like me, I’d run for president.

]]> By: Justin Block http://www.academicperspective.com/2009/10/28/the-demise-of-the-expert/comment-page-1/#comment-75 Justin Block Wed, 28 Oct 2009 19:25:21 +0000 http://www.academicperspective.com/?p=242#comment-75 The Buchanan comment is quite troubling. I find it funny that the same people who were pointing out Obama's appearance of elitism were also the same people who pointed out his lack of experience during the Democrat primaries (compared to Hillary). The Buchanan comment is quite troubling. I find it funny that the same people who were pointing out Obama’s appearance of elitism were also the same people who pointed out his lack of experience during the Democrat primaries (compared to Hillary).

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