Why academics lose their real-world bearings

[drscott]

The cognitive elite may get passionately attached to beliefs about topics that most people never even think about. Even the “experts” may be highly informed about nothing other than their profession’s shared illusions if employment and pay bear little relation to the correctness of the expert's opinions. As Orwell (1968) smartly put it, “One has to belong to the intelligentsia to believe things like that: no ordinary man could be such a fool."

From the interesting paper Rational Ignorance vs. Rational Irrationality.

Comments

[ciddyguy.livejournal.com]

First off, I like your icon, very sly and slick ;-)

I'll print this paper and read it later when I have more time and brain power than I do at nearly 8:30 in the am while at work. After that, I'll post an observation or two.