The scope of all human knowledge is, understandably, so massive that no one person can manage to fully comprehend even a fraction of it, regardless of what that obnoxious guy at university insisted. This is why we turn to experts when we need them, but even they can be wrong sometimes.
Someone asked “When have you witnessed an “expert” get it so wrong?” and people shared their stories. Be warned, a lot of these deal with medical issues that can get rather graphic. So settle in as you scroll though, upvote your favorites and be sure to add your own tales to the comments down below.
#41
Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan. About the financial crisis in 2008:
>"I know that most of you in this room think I'm a good economist, but I'm not a very good forecaster... I was shocked... I still think it's a good theory. **I didn't think they would do it against their own best interest**".
He was referring to his faith in the efficiency of free markets and the ability of financial firms' risk management practices to protect themselves.
>"I know that most of you in this room think I'm a good economist, but I'm not a very good forecaster... I was shocked... I still think it's a good theory. **I didn't think they would do it against their own best interest**".
He was referring to his faith in the efficiency of free markets and the ability of financial firms' risk management practices to protect themselves.
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9points
#42
Newly hired civil engineer joins small east coast municipality utility. He came in both guns blazing. Touted his degree. His first project was to design and send out to bid a staircase with a middle landing to access the roof of one building with the second platform leading to the top of circular concrete tank which had another set of stairs leading down into the tank.
So approximately 26’ of stairs, one platform at 12’ with the other platform at the top which was supposed to sit on the tanks top wall. We poured two concrete footers for the new stairs then hired a crane to place the stairwell. Everything on our end was performed as per the engineer’s prints. Placed the stairs and the top platform came 9-3/4’ short of the tanks wall. For a good two years, as skilled blue collar workers, we always asked did the engineer measure twice before drawing up these blueprints. The engineer who designed the staircase is now the director of the utility. Not a bad engineer in the long run but came in with an attitude and shot himself in the foot on his first project.
So approximately 26’ of stairs, one platform at 12’ with the other platform at the top which was supposed to sit on the tanks top wall. We poured two concrete footers for the new stairs then hired a crane to place the stairwell. Everything on our end was performed as per the engineer’s prints. Placed the stairs and the top platform came 9-3/4’ short of the tanks wall. For a good two years, as skilled blue collar workers, we always asked did the engineer measure twice before drawing up these blueprints. The engineer who designed the staircase is now the director of the utility. Not a bad engineer in the long run but came in with an attitude and shot himself in the foot on his first project.
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8points
#43
Last week on Joe Rogan some ostensibly "legitimate" scientist who was there to talk about UFOs was asked by Joe if stalactites or stalagmites go up. Scientist dude confidently told Joe stalactites go up and stalagmites go down. Nope. Tites come down and mites grow up.
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8points
#44
I had to show a board certified neurologist how to read a test result from an overnight polysomnography and explain to him what the numbers meant.
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5points
#45
Experts claimed eggs were extremely unhealthy. later research showed moderate consumption is fine.
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4points
