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by nradov 56 days ago
We're all morons outside of some very narrow areas of expertise. By most criteria James Mattis would be considered a smart guy: he earned a Master's degree, commanded troops effectively in combat, and served as Secretary of Defense. And yet he fell for the Theranos fraud. You have to know your limitations, and too many people think that because they're good at one thing they must be geniuses who are good at everything. Engineers are especially prone to this delusion.
2 comments

> We're all morons outside of some very narrow areas of expertise

speak for yourself, I guess? Some people know things in many areas. But even if they are not experts outside of their areas of expertise, they may recognize their limitations in other areas and thus avoid making costly mistakes. This may even be the rule for adults, rather than the exception.

Some people believe they know things in many areas. This is typically the Dunning-Kruger effect in action.
What does a soldier / pollitical appointment know about finance?
Exactly. That's the point.