# A Little Information Might be Worse than No Information By:: [[Ross Jackson]] 2025-02-06 In the song, Subterranean Homesick Blues, Bob Dylan sang, “You don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.” Without any information, people know what will most immediately affect their lives. One doesn’t need to know the inflation rate to know that things are more expensive or that their income doesn’t purchase as much as it did. One doesn’t need to know the unemployment rate to know that many people around them are out of work and that people are having a difficult time finding a job. One doesn’t need details about the housing stock to know that affordable housing is out of reach for many. Simply confronting day-to-day realities provides a great deal of insight into what is happening around them. Experts dig deeply into data. Nuances emerge from these examinations. Any of the elements mentioned could be local or regional phenomena rather than national. Demographic distinctions might exist that are worthy of consideration when developing policy. This understanding requires access to verified information, analytic abilities, time, and experience. Between experience and expertise exists the realm of arrogance. This is the space of the Dunning-Kruger effect, where people with low knowledge overestimate their competence. In other words, people who know a little think they know it all. This creates a paradox of sorts. Knowledge is generally beneficial, but a little bit of knowledge might be worse than no knowledge at all. Our society tends to bifurcate things. Experts are often contrasted with everybody else. This is a false dichotomy. Usually, the expert and the person with experience can have beneficial discussions. The people with a little bit of information tend to muck things up. The arrogance of the slightly informed blinds them to alternative interpretations and conclusions. They are overly convinced of their correct opinions and, therefore, are closed off. This brings us to the crux of the problem. Social media, AI, and internet searches help people learn a little. When most people had a grasp on their lived experience but little information beyond that, they discussed what they knew with the humility that comes from having limited experiences. Now, everybody thinks they are an expert on everything because they found something online. This isn’t’ expertise; it's informed ignorance. It is the sweet spot for the Dunning-Kruger effect. If our lived experiences tell us that things are worsening, doubling down on its cause is foolish. Know more or know less. Either is better than knowing a little while thinking one knows it all. #### Related Items [[Information]] [[Knowledge]] [[Expertise]] [[Experience]] [[Analytics]] [[Data]] [[Life]] [[Social Media]] [[Society]]