[LarryDarrell]

I call it "Engineer Brain" after watching a talented relative descend into madness trying learn virology during the pandemic. It was further crystalized after the Titan submersible incident and reading about the terminal hubris of Stockton Rush.

We spend our lives specializing into ever smaller subdomains of already small domains. A lifetime of bending your brain in one direction, being well compensated, being told you are smart... it leads to tremendous gaffs once you step out of your little specialized world.

It's important to maintain a deep humbleness and acknowledge the gaps in your knowledge. Don't disregard experts in other fields because they are saying things that conflict with your biases. Learn to identify your biases and think about how they may limit you from gaining understanding. It's much more fun to go through life with the attitude of not knowing everything and listening to people who know what they know.

[throwaway48476]

It would be far worse to silo everything off to "experts" in their field. Usually such deference is just a cop out for not learning what they learned.

Often the best work is done when combining the knowledge of people from different fields. Humility is important but more collaboration is needed, not less.

[LarryDarrell]

I don't disagree. My two examples were people who not only did not collaborate, but actively resented the knowledge offered from experts different fields.

I do think that past successful collaboration can lead to a bias though. As a programmer I've solved problems for a variety of disparate industries and fields. I know just enough to know I'm vastly ignorant of those fields save for a little part that I helped solve problems for. But I've seen colleagues go the opposite route.

[throwaway48476]

When criticized by people outside the field the reaction seems to be either to ignore or to explain.

Lately I've been watching videos tangential to conspiracies. Too many choose defensiveness when the truth is easier and more interesting.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=MhkTo9Rk6_4 https://youtu.be/RJTbcfHY3AU

[digging]

No, I don't think this is engineer brain. That's something more neutral, more similar to a hacker mentality, IMO.

This is wealth brain.

> A lifetime of bending your brain in one direction, being well compensated, being told you are smart... it leads to tremendous gaffs once you step out of your little specialized world.

That's not explained by simple engineer brain, plenty of us engineers are not in this position. But those who are wildly, exceptionally successful under capitalism, get their ideas (good and bad) reinforced more and more. They look at their success - money, power, fame, influence, and believe it is due to the correctness of their ideas, not due to the exact stupidity of humans they look down upon.

[LarryDarrell]

I agree completely that wealth plays a critical role, if not the most critical role, in all of this. Especially at the higher end with Balaji and all the other would be tech John Galts.

I have just observed that the threshold is low enough that many middle-class engineers achieve it (I've always lived in low cost of living areas where engineers get to live pretty comfortable lives relative to their surroundings. But that's just my one data point). Their folly tends to be more banal, like ordering Ivermectin from Mexican pharmacies or endlessly talking about nuclear power in a near utopian fashion. Admittedly, pretty harmless stuff compared to the article.

[tootie]

I think it could easily be both. A lot of people who fall into this trap aren't all that wealthy. Certainly not to the degree of being isolated from society unless they choose to be.