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| Dr. Watson (Martin Freeman) and Sherlock Holmes (Benedict Cumberbatch) |
Today, we assume that professional detectives will have this kind of training and expertise. Do you believe that it is fair to say that in today's society expertise and training in all fields is highly valued? Or are there some fields in which expertise and training are viewed with skepticism? When do Americans today trust "experts" and when do they not trust them?
While I definitely believe that there are many field that value someone who has training and expertise, there are also several fields in which these things are not necessarily viewed as important. For example, you wouldn't want to visit a doctor who has never been to medical school, would you? This is just one of many examples in which training and expertise are highly valued. There are professions though in which these qualities are not seen as essential. Two prominent examples that come to mind are art and writing. Most of the time, emerging artists and authors are amateurs who happen to just be good at their skill. Not many of them have had professional training.
ReplyDeleteIn terms of when people trust experts and when they don't, I believe it has to do with the service that is being performed by the "expert". I think that in professions that deal with something important in our daily lives like money or property (bankers and lawyers), our cars (mechanics), or our physical bodies (doctors, nurses, dentists, etc.), training and expertise are highly valued things. In professions that are more for pleasure and entertainment though (actors, singers, artists, etc.), training is not really seen as all that important. So I think the necessity of these qualities depends on the job the person was hired to do.
-Kaylee George
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DeleteI completely agree Kaylee. We value training in professions in which high value objects are at risk, i.e. our cars, our bodies etc. However, when it comes to hobbies and enjoyment, professional training is not necessarily required. You could also venture to say that professional training is more valuable in professions where natural ability is less valuable than hard work. While doctors and mechanics can have natural ability, and this can be beneficial, training is more helpful. However, people can be successful singers and artisans without formal training.
DeleteIf we consider experience to be expertise, politics could be one field in today’s society in which people may view “experts” with skepticism. Our view of the experienced politician is not always positive due to the scandals, greed, and selfish agendas that have corrupted our government. American citizens have seen the way several of their government officials have let them down, and now individuals who have not been directly involved in politics seem to be more appealing to the American people. It is very interesting that the flyers promoting certain candidates for the upcoming elections boast experience while others proudly tell voters that they are not experienced politicians. Both strategies are meant to appeal to people. It is ironic that these opposites can both be effective. This demonstrates to me that Americans do not trust “experts” once they have been disappointed by them multiple times.
ReplyDeleteBrittany West
Not all fields of work value expertise. For example my father works in the oil field. He has told me of too many times that people have been hired to positions above him that have no idea what they are doing. They all have little to no experience at actually working with the machinery. However they have a college degree so they are immediately hired. A lot of businesses just care that you have a piece of paper and not necessarily what its for. My grandmother is a hiring manager for an oil refinery and she has told all of her grandchildren to get a degree. She told me it doesn't matter what it's for as long as you have a degree you will get a job. It is kind of sad to me that most companies would rather hire someone becuase they have a degree rather than promote a hard valued worker who knows what they are doing.
ReplyDeleteToday, virtually every professional field is expected to be highly trained and versed in the scientific method, for good reason. I can’t think of any careers in which expertise would be considered a bad thing, though in some it is less necessary. Americans trust experts when their methods are backed by reliable research, years of training and peer review, and there are entire markets and websites based on reviewing the goods and services of “experts”. People become skeptical of self-proclaimed experts when their services receive negative feedback from the community or when they haven’t been in business very long, as shown by the established date that most companies publicize next to their name.
ReplyDeleteWell, there are many fields of work that people would feel safer having an expert instead of just a person. Agreeing with both Tyler and Kaylee. Having experts work on things that are either of high price value or high sentimental value would probably give people a better peace of mind rather than just having a random person who states that he or she knows what they are doing. but careers, like detectives, to be able to be effective with cases, they must be properly prepared for ANYTHING that may happen.
ReplyDelete-Sam Pratt
I would say that overall, training and expertise are valued in today's society. Mostly because when I ask people if they personally think college should be free, they say no, because if a degree is free, it 'loses value'. They say that if we are paying for said degree, we will work harder for it, and therefore get more benefits from our work. Also, many jobs that are medium skill level require a degree, and even some more basic level skill jobs. Although, every degree/major is different, and same goes for people who are trained through academies and/or specialized training, like a firefighter or welder. Some people don't understand the work that goes into learning a new skill, for example: becoming a beautician. I know I have a hard time cutting hair, putting on nails, etc. However, people will comment that it's an easy job because it's 'women's work' and that it requires little to no skill, which is preposterous.
ReplyDeleteI would also say that due to some cultures not recognizing women as equal, can devalue some of the things they do. Women can train for years to become a doctor, a soldier, etc., but people are quick to want to box them into a traditional role, or doubt them because they hold a man's opinion to a higher level of intelligence. I would also like to add that we as a society are more conscious of people trying to scam us that claim to be an expert because most things are on online now, and things tend to get blown out of proportion more often than not.
I do believe that expertise and training in all fields in highly valued in today's society. I know that personally, I would rely much more on someone who was well trained and educated in what they were doing, rather than someone who was less qualified and only partially knew information about the topic at hand. There are some fields that could be viewed as not as important to have expertise due to lack of importance, but usually the more qualified someone is, the more reliable they are. If it came down to it, would you be more like to trust someone who was self-taught in what they did, or someone who had a degree and proof of training in that specific area? I think in America today, though, the way someone deems experts as "trustworthy" or not is based on the answer given to them and if it fits their ideas. As I see it, people are more likely to trust someone who agrees with them and gives them the answer they want to hear, rather than someone who gives them information they didn't expect or refuse to believe. The common saying, "my way, or the highway" seems fitting in this situation a lot of the time in today's day and age.
ReplyDelete-McKinlee Stafford
I think there's a bit of a dichotomy to be found in the level of training Americans expect from our working professionals vs. the lack of importance we put on finding credible sources on the Internet. For example, we wouldn't dream of actually seeing a doctor who has not earned the required degrees and completed their medical training – but we still immediately google our symptoms if we are sick, and often put a good deal of trust in whatever wikipedia or Web MD has to say without doing a bit of research to find out if the source of this information is credible. And if I'm being honest, if I had a question or conundrum regarding our legal system, I would be just as likely to consult Reddit as I would a friend with legal training. We seem to have higher standards than ever on the one hand while we freely set ourselves up for all sorts of misinformation from Facebook and Twitter on the other. And frankly, just look at our current president. Does he have the sort of training you would expect from the leader of one of the most powerful nations in the world?
ReplyDeleteI Believe that the oversaturation of unskilled and untrained people have made the experts a highly sought after commodity. Today the majority of jobs and people would prefer someone with a college degree over someone who never sought a higher level of schooling or training. I believe in the future college degrees would become the standard at which employers look for employees. Eventually a bachelors degree will become so common people will need even more schooling and training to set their selves apart.
ReplyDeleteToday's society values higher training and expertise more than in previous professions. Most jobs in the job market look for a college degree but some jobs train you on site with or without a college degree. The world has so many unskilled, untrained, and unemployed people and having a higher education comes in handy for jobs that seek that such as lawyers and those in the medical field. I do feel as though the more regulated a college degree is, the more likely people will have to get a PHD to set themselves apart in the job market.
ReplyDelete-Hannah Rios
In today's society expertise and training in certain fields are more valued than in others. The expertise and training of a doctor is highly valued and is compensated with a large salary and respect. People may say teachers are highly valued, but teachers are not compensated nearly enough. Teachers are the reason many people are able to get a job, such as a doctor, but the person responsible a doctor earning a high salary only gets a fraction in return. Americans trust experts such as doctors, dentists, and lawyers, because they have gone through school for their career. However, once money or effort becomes an issue many do not believe an expert.
ReplyDeleteI think it is safe to say that expertise and training is valued in today’s society, but it is not always needed. A majority of the fields out there require some form of preexisting training for a person to enter that field. Take being a doctor for example. It can take years of school and training to become a doctor. Doctors are one profession where being an expert is highly valued. No one wants to receive open heart surgery from a doctor who is not an expert in what they do. Even though being an expert is valued across the board, there are several professions that do not require such expertise. Walk into the local grocery store and take a look around. Do the people working in a grocery store need to be experts? Having training and being an expert is valued in today’s society, but not every occupation demands expertise. Experts cannot always be trusted, but their status carries a feeling of trust. Americans often trust experts when they feel like the trust is needed. The status of an expert is what makes it possible for people to trust them so easily. Experts may lose people’s trust if there is an overabundance of experts in the area. The best example of this would be when a patient refuses to believe a doctor, and repeatedly seeks second opinions. It is worth noting that a lack of trust is not the only reason people seek second opinions.
ReplyDelete-Gabe Wilmot