Tom Nichols on the Death of Expertise

Tom Nichols is an academic specialist on international affairs, currently a professor at the U.S. Naval War College and at the Harvard Extension School. His work deals with issues involving Russia, nuclear weapons, and national security affairs. He was previously a fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs, and the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Nichols taught international relations as well as Soviet and Russian Affairs at Dartmouth College and Georgetown University. He was also a fellow in the International Security Program at the Harvard Kennedy School. Nichols was the Chairman of National Security Affairs at the U.S. Naval War College where he also held the Forrest Sherman Chair of Public Diplomacy. Nichols is a former Secretary of the Navy Fellow and also a fellow in the International Security Program and the Project on Managing the Atom at the Harvard Kennedy School. LYRICS: Having strong opinions Is not the same as knowing things Experts are more likely to be right Now we're all.... Google-fuelled and wiki-fed Conspiracies, easily led Our feelings matter more to us than facts Experts say unanimously It's the death of expertise Democracy's in jeopardy We're our own worst enemy the death of expertise Ignorance was made a virtue by Social entrepreneurs who Confuse obscurantism with humility But now we're all omnicompetent And demanding  our entitlement Our society could quickly cease to function Experts say unanimously It's the death of expertise       Democracy's in jeopardy We're our own worst enemy the death of expertise Ensuring all have equal rights Doesn't mean that all opinions are right And disagreeings not insulting Saying you're wrong's not saying you're stupid It's not elitist or undemocratic To say that professionals know more about their work than you do Experts say unanimously It's the death of expertise       Democracy's in jeopardy We're our own worst enemy the death of expertise