Experts vs. Authority Figures

Have you ever spoken to someone about their beliefs, and partway in to the conversation you realize that they're not relaying their own beliefs, but instead preaching somebody else's doctrine?

You don't have to drink the Kool-Aid

I'm not talking about religion, not specifically.  Let me give you an example of what I am talking about.

"Well, David Icke was saying, in his book, that Greece, and Troy, were actually ruled by human-alien hybrids.  Actually, most of our world leaders today are hybrids.  It was actually these people... I don't know if they were all hybrids of aliens... but they made up Christianity, from scratch.  And these people... they were reptilian-people, David Icke says that their family tree goes through all these different countries, but like I was saying, David Icke..."

If you ever hear someone describing their beliefs to you, and they can't move through their explanation without frequently quoting someone (perhaps a popular author, or philosopher) then there is something wrong.  If you find yourself doing that, then you're not talking about your belief.  You're describing someone else's belief, and then you're explaining how you believe everything this person says.

I've heard somewhere (can't quickly find it on Google) that, in science, there are no authorities, only experts.  When you think about it, it's true.

-An authority figure's job is to decide how it is, and then tell you what they decided.

-An experts job is to notice how it is, and then to help you notice as well.

When you're quoting someone four times in the course of a conversation, you're not treating them like an expert, but an authority figure.  You're showing off the fact that you have no direct knowledge or understanding of the subject, and you're just rehashing what you read in a book, and then took on faith.  If you tell someone that six divided by two is three, because Mr. Collins said so, then you're not likely to know what eight divided by two, until Mr. Collins tells you.

When someone has knowledge, whether it's about government conspiracy, the afterlife, or just simple division, it's their job not to give facts, but to give an understanding that will allow you to get more facts yourself.  You need to be able to relate the information with other things you experience, come to your own conclusions, and then state them confidently as your own ideas.  Because, when you really understand what you're talking about, you will have your own ideas.  Not only that, but you'll be able to talk about them with conviction, without having to lean on the authority of someone who decided what you are supposed to believe.

Thanks for reading.