Emilie and I were talking the other day about people's knowledge nowadays. She was having issues with someone at work. She told a fork-truck driver to do something because another one of her fork-truck drivers was going to be leaving in 10 minutes. He said something to the order of "He can do it, it'll take less than 10 minutes to do." She told him it didn't matter, she asked him to do it.
Turns out he went outside and told the other guy to do it. Apparently because he knew better than her.
That's part one.
Part two...
Every night in class, there seems to be a discussion rather than instruction going on. Which is fine, if the instructor wants discussion, but that's not always the case. It seems that most of the students seem to have opinions/information/ideas of how the instructor could do things differently. Twelve years ago when I was going to ICC, it wasn't like that. It was more like a class. The instructor teaches the students. This time when I'm in class, it seems that we have an instructor, and a classroom full of people who know how to instruct on a variety of specialized topics within the concepts of the class.
Welcome to the Information Age.
Since information is readily available on the Internet, available to ANYONE at ANY TIME, almost everyone with a computer, an internet connection and some free time can become an expert on any topic. And it seems that once you pick up any tidbits of information, nowadays, that makes you an expert.
How many times have you researched a topic (let's say ANTS) thoroughly (and by this I mean more than 3 websites including Wikipedia). I mean you researched at the library with at least 10 books (at least 6 without pictures), took notes on at least 400 note cards, and compiled your information in a 20 page report. And then some "genius" with a broadband connection and a couple hours time comes along and disputes your claims because HE just read it online (where you can believe EVERYTHING).
What I'm saying is, there is a LOT of information flying around out there. And people being people (being sheep and going and doing whatever anyone TELLS them is "cool", but that's another rant) want to appear smarter than what they know they are, so they collect little bits of useless information (I do it too, but at least I recognize it for what it is) and throw it around like they're an expert. And they ALWAYS know more than you do. It doesn't matter if they researched it for 20 minutes on Wikipedia whereas you have a Bachelor's Degree, THEY'RE right, and you are WRONG.
This is one of those love/hate relationships I have with the internet.
