On Intellectual Humility

Something This Country is Lacking

Howdy,

I’ve been writing “professionally” for about six weeks, and there’s one thing I’ve realized: people are willing to pop off about shit they don’t understand. Yes, most of my ire is aimed currently at the Gaza War, but it’s something I’ve noticed more and more lately.

An example? Sure. Noam Smith, who is a brilliant economist, decided to wade into the Gaza War by comparing Syrian Dictator Bashar al-Assad and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

This is what political scientists like to call “really f*cking stupid.” Bibi, for all of his problems, didn’t start a genocidal war against his citizens. He didn’t use chemical weapons. He also didn’t let thousands of Sunni jihadists loose on the world to quell an uprising. Bibi isn’t a dictator, he’s just a dick. That seems to be an essential difference.

Noah Smith isn’t just some guy popping off on Twitter. He has 300K+ followers (I’m at 1300 and closing in fast). Moreover, he’s an excellent writer. I don’t agree with him on everything (you don’t say?), but I learn a lot when he talks about economics. As someone who likes to consider himself a free market enthusiast of the Scott Linscome ilk, I constantly need to challenge my assumptions.

Now, I’m not an economist (really?). I’ve probably read about 15 economics and economic theory books, but mostly Adam Smith, Milton Freidman, and Thomas Sowell. I try to keep up, but I don’t have the chops. This is called self-awareness.

If you don’t have self-awareness, then intellectual humility is outside your wheelhouse.

The Bulwark has many intelligent writers. If they asked me to write something on economics (they wouldn’t, by the way), I would ask them if they were high and immediately start giving them better alternatives. I would feel so uncomfortable writing about it, too, and I would also be petrified that someone would read my thoughts.

Many people in my life ask me for opinions on foreign policy. Unless it’s on Israel, Afghanistan, Iraq, Ukraine, or terrorism, I immediately tell them to go read someone else. If they insist on asking for my opinion, I respond as such.

“I’m not an expert on this subject, and again, please read _____, but here’s what I think.”

This is called intellectual humility. Noah Smith is much smarter than me. He’s a better writer, too. But, for some reason, if he felt the need to make a moronic comparison. Maybe he was having a bad day. Lord knows I do stupid sh*t all the time.

Nevertheless, the number of people who’ve become urban warfare experts since 7 October is incredible. Many of these newfound experts have never been at war or studied it. I find this troubling, especially on the question of war, where human lives are literally on the line.

I’m wrong all the time. I was wrong about Obama’s surge in Afghanistan. Hell, I thought Trump’s initial talks with the Taliban could produce something worthwhile. This is all on things that I’ve studied deeply and widely.

I don’t opine on economics or anything related to STEM, medicine, etc. Even on war and warfare, I would, again, tell people to read widely before listening to me on specific subjects. What the hell do I know about amphibious operations other than they are incredibly difficult?

This doesn’t mean you must read Clausewitz (hallowed be thy name) to comment on this war. Nor do you need to tell me the difference between Likud, Labor, and Yesh Atid. But, it does mean that perhaps you should read a book on the subject—war, Israel, Palestine, anything in the region— before you start saying that Israel is guilty of genocide. Or that Bibi and Assad are the same.

I’m a Zionist. I’m very pro-Israel. I’ve probably read 50+ books on Israel, Palestine, and the Middle East. And not just Bernard Lewis (hallowed be thy name), but also —gulp—Edward Said and Rashid Khalidi. But I know I have much more to learn before anyone calls me an expert on the world’s most complicated conflict.

So, everyone, feel free to have any opinion you want. It is a free country. But for G*d’s sake, cultivate self-awareness and intellectual humility. Please realize that war is the most complex phenomenon humans engage in. It regularly makes fools out of brilliant men and women.

The United States has many problems—so many. But the internet and being “Google smart” are leading to a lot of unfounded expertise. When in doubt, read widely and deeply, take a deep breath, and be humble enough to say, “I don’t know.”

Until next time.