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People mistake schoolchild-level analogies for the way the real world works all the time. Kids grow up disillusioned that the neat causal view of history with a

People mistake schoolchild-level analogies for the way the real world works all the time. Kids grow up disillusioned that the neat causal view of history with a strong moral arc they learned at school is a gross simplification, and assume they've been hoodwinked as opposed to just talked down to. Likewise, schoolchildren learn a simplified version of physics and mistake that for the real thing (for example, believing that water has set freezing and boiling points rather than phase boundaries on a pressure/temperature plot). Actually, there is probably a trap which certain people who pay a lot of attention in school but never deeply pursue any subject outside of it fall into, which is to grossly overestimate their understanding of things. Whereas the class bozo is probably closer to the mark in his assessment of his own abilities. This cocktail party observation is definitely common in certain circles, but I think particularly American culture, where maverick thinking is so highly prized. This type of thinking is a true wellspring of innovation, but is not accessible to the vast majority of people. It does remind me of this xkcd: https://xkcd.com/675/ https://xkcd.com/675/ I'd also caution against being too harsh in such people, especially in informal situations. "Why don't you just..." type questions are actually a great way to improve your understanding of a field, and should be taken in the spirit of curiosity, and not necessarily as an indicator of extreme hubris.

function_seven 5y ago
I've always liked this one: https://xkcd.com/277/ https://xkcd.com/277/ as well when it comes do "Why don't you just..." things. As an aside, looking at that comic now I get the same feeling as I did when I watched a Season One episode of The Simpsons. Randall has refined his stick-figure technique!
- narag 5y ago
  I used to live next to an urban intersection. I have no experience designing intersections, but after five minutes looking from my fourth floor apartment down to the intersection, I concluded that it had been designed by either a moron or an enemy of human kind. Next year I heard no less than five accidents, one of then ending with a car upside down. Then they probably called the same person to re-design the interception and it was a total success: less accidents, but a constant horns concert complaining of people that gets fooled into getting into a turning lane, but doesn't want to turn and trying to go back to their path... that provoked some accidents, but not so many. From early morning everyday, a huge noise. After some months, everybody in the neighborhood learned you should exit the lane in advance so you won't get caught. But being one main street in the city, there's always someone that doesn't know. I just had to wait ten minutes looking at it, and it happens. Then a lot of horns. The people complaining had surely made the same mistake some day earlier, but anyway. Maybe the bad attitude comes from observing that there are often persons out there that makes a very bad job.

function_seven 5y ago

I've always liked this one: https://xkcd.com/277/ https://xkcd.com/277/ as well when it comes do "Why don't you just..." things. As an aside, looking at that comic now I get the same feeling as I did when I watched a Season One episode of The Simpsons. Randall has refined his stick-figure technique!

narag 5y ago
I used to live next to an urban intersection. I have no experience designing intersections, but after five minutes looking from my fourth floor apartment down to the intersection, I concluded that it had been designed by either a moron or an enemy of human kind. Next year I heard no less than five accidents, one of then ending with a car upside down. Then they probably called the same person to re-design the interception and it was a total success: less accidents, but a constant horns concert complaining of people that gets fooled into getting into a turning lane, but doesn't want to turn and trying to go back to their path... that provoked some accidents, but not so many. From early morning everyday, a huge noise. After some months, everybody in the neighborhood learned you should exit the lane in advance so you won't get caught. But being one main street in the city, there's always someone that doesn't know. I just had to wait ten minutes looking at it, and it happens. Then a lot of horns. The people complaining had surely made the same mistake some day earlier, but anyway. Maybe the bad attitude comes from observing that there are often persons out there that makes a very bad job.