Expert

Blog Article/Post Caveat (Read First Please: Click the Link)

Am I, or anyone are, an expert? The answer to that question always, stress always, depends. The dictionary says, "a person who has a comprehensive and authoritative knowledge of or skill in a particular area AND having or involving authoritative knowledge."

Then things get a bit muddier BECAUSE this definition leaves a huge gap open, like the great divide or literally the depth and breadth of the Grand Canyon, to interpretation. 

Interpretation of:

• Define comprehensive?
• Define authoritative?
• Define skill?
• Define knowledge?
• Define understanding as it applies to all the above? 

and that is just the beginning because we also have to decide, each of us separately and individually, who is the authority in validating said expert as to what they constitute as comprehensive, authoritative, skillful and knowledgable. 

In most cases there is seldom one dominant accepted authority that can bestow upon anyone or any group the moniker of “expert.” Now, take this word “expert” and replace it with, “master” or “sensei” or “hanshi” or “renshi” or any other most awesome title bestowed upon someone or some entity we would refer to or bestow upon the title of “expert.” 

In the martial arts, karate too, communities we are influenced by such titles and symbols that say to others that the person holding said titles and symbols are experts or masters or whatever without ever associating it with a governing authoritative body that everyone, I mean EVERYONE, in that discipline and community can and would accept without question those titles and symbols, i.e., hanshi or black belt or dan-sha or soke, etc.

Why do we use it and what are the reasons for our need for it, it comes down to nature and survival BECAUSE we all hold those things closest due to the historical proof that such things in a fundamental sense contributed greatly to the species survival. It is part and parcel to the group dynamics of cohesive connectivity of that group in a bonded way when collectively applied to life itself literally means survival. 

Add in on the side that most humans are kind of lazy as well so they do not look to far or deep for anything. It comes and contributes to the arts of compliance, persuasion, manipulation and influence as those principles trigger the very core of what triggers our emotional belief in … wait for it … magic. 

Lets add one more bit to the “depends” view, we all have to deal with dissonances and biases that contribute to this muddy waters view of experts and such so when we have to deal with such things that literally muddy our minds toward a certain way then we have what we have. A convoluted unreliable invalid way of saying this or that is expert or the final word on a subject and/or discipline. 

Here is a wonderful article by an “expert (stop laughing)” on how they feel when addressing the title of being an expert. 

“What Makes an Expert?” by Ms. T. Yard-McCracken 

For reference and sources and professionals go here: Bibliography (Click the link)