If you’ve been around here awhile, you might be under the impression that I am an expert at something, but without a clue as to what that might be. That's okay. I have similar suspicions of my expertise.

We tend to assume that folks are experts if they talk a lot, (that's me!) or have celebrity status (not me).

Case and point? SXSW. This year I observed many celebrities there who confidently discussed various topics, presenting themselves as experts. It’s clear that we live in an era where nearly all forms of discourse, whether related to politics, business, or trust have become heavily influenced by performance. The question arises: who truly wields the greatest influence and possesses genuine expertise? Surprisingly, it mainly boils down to those aesthetically pleasing celebrities whose primary skill lies in the realm of performance.

The paradox of celebrity influence

Why do we all buy into the notion that interesting entertainers and sports figures should be listened to when it comes to political and life matters?

Entertainers are no experts… they just play them on TV.

We all occasionally listen to our sports and entertainment figures as if they are experts. We want to know who they are voting for, and what kind of salad dressing they prefer on their romaine lettuce. As if they were experts in anything. What's additionally weird is that we tend to distrust actual experts. That is, the folks who might have spent lifetimes studying and working on the subject of their expertise.

Think Anthony Fauci as the demon to the right. Or Karl Rove as the demon to the left. Regardless of your personal stance, Fauci knows science and Rove knows politics. Yet, there are many who choose to discredit them. Perhaps it makes us feel better to dis somebody who appears to know more than we do about any given subject. After all, aren't they part of "the elite"? And of course, we like to conspire that these elites, these EXxxxxxPppppppERTS! (enunciated with the appropriate amount of elongation and spittle) are working for the Cabal, the Illuminati, George Soros, the Chinese, Donald Trump… whoever.

Someone... we might not be sure exactly who.... is pulling their strings, and this so-called expertise is just a front. Right? It's all great fun to knock the expert so we can act as if we have figured it all out. We have the satisfaction of saying, “I know something you don't know.” Who doesn't like to play at that? Storytelling at its finest.

Why Critical Thinking Matters

What am I getting at? First of all, not everyone is an expert because they have five million followers on Instagram. Secondly, not every prominent expert is wrong because they are associated with an opposing political camp, or may have been fed with a silver spoon. Third, not everyone who somehow captures your momentary attention, perhaps because they dropped a pithy blog essay in your LinkedIn feed or email box, should be assumed to actually know what they are talking about.

Rather, everything you hear, read, discuss, and ponder, should be an exchange. If I hear some blather from Karl Rove on CNN or Fox, I should neither completely dismiss his blather, nor take it at face value. Same goes for Fauci, and Shaquille O'Neil, and perhaps even Taylor Swift, although it's pretty apparent that everything she says is bible. The point is, let's have some balance, between whatever you hear, from whomever you hear it, and your own good, common sense.

I offer you my own blather on a bimonthly basis. String theory is my side of the payment for our exchange of ideas, hopes, dreams, theories, and yes, even fears. I hope for balance in our exchange. I try to make sense, but not everything I write does.

I sincerely believe I am telling the truth, each and every time, but there are times when I wonder if I have gotten my facts wrong, misremembered, perhaps even distorted the story to fit the point I am trying to make. After all, I am just a businessman. Not an entertainer, or a scientist or a politician. Yet, as a businessman, I am also a storyteller. Every business plan, every presentation, every coffee meeting, my interactions with colleagues, my website, my title…. Everything is my crafted story. My narrative, if you will.

But Can the Experts Perform?

Business is increasingly merging with entertainment. The ability to deliver captivating pitches is now the determining factor of success. As I discussed in my last post on Shark Tank, the primary focus there is on captivating our attention for the 28-minute duration of the show rather than presenting sound business plans which will stand the test of time.

What’s intriguing is that Shark Tank features true experts– individuals who have dedicated their lives to studying, investing in, and actively participating in the types of businesses they are tasked to evaluate. In my view, this is what makes them true experts. But that’s not what creates the sizzle. It’s their ability to perform and engage as experts that truly charms. I can’t help but wonder if the show included a lineup of renowned entertainers, politicians and sports figures who could entertain us as experts, whether it would make any difference.

Remember the game show, "Hollywood Squares"? It was undeniably absurd, yet wildly popular. Famous faces, some of whose claim to fame remained questionable, occupied boxes on a tic-tac-toe board. Contestants sought answers from them, and if these celebrities appeared knowledgeable, acting as the so-called "experts"-- the contestants earned an "X" or an "O" inching towards their "tic-tac-toe" victory, and maybe, winning some money.

It may be a stretch, but doesn’t it feel like a case of trading fame for actual expertise? But picture this: What if those nine squares were filled with the world’s greatest experts on every sort of topic?

BORING…

Give me expert advice from Gloria Estefan, Whoopi Goldberg, and Wayne Brady anytime. To heck with real expertise!