Colon Credentials

[MJTurano@aol.com]

In a message dated 5/2/99 4:20:47 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
WSpence245@aol.com writes:

<< Long, long ago, on a television set far, far away, I once watched a 
 talk show.  Among the various guests was a Satanist, an arrogant sort like 
 many of his breed.  When challenged by a lady who shared the stage with him, 
 he asked her, "Do you know what makes one an expert?"  And when she could 
not 
 answer his question, he said, "Credentials". >>

**I'd like to make it clear that I'm not arguing with Walter or anything *he* 
said.  It's the Satanist's point of view that I've got a problem with here.  
The rest is just rant.**

Of course I didn't see the program, but this guy was dead wrong.

Credentials without practical experience are worthless.  Depth of knowledge 
on any given subject exists beyond the degree-issuing authority of expensive 
colleges, universities, and even trade schools.  These institutions did not 
invent information.  They've simply found a way to make it profitable.

A good illustration of this would be to ask yourself who you'd rather have 
performing your lifesaving brain surgery--the FSU alumnus with the 2.5 GPA 
who's successfully done the procedure five hundred times, or the doc who just 
graduated at the top of his class from Harvard Med School three weeks ago, 
with his cap and gown still in the back-seat of his car and the ink on his 
diploma not yet dry.  I'm opting for the Seminole, myself--while his 
*credentials* may not be as impressive, his *experience* will probably save 
my life.

Credentials alone can never, ever make anyone an expert, while experience 
alone can.  Another example of this would be a roommate I had while in the 
air force.  This guy could all but take a car's engine apart and put it back 
together again blindfolded.  He replaced the clutch in my RX7 in about three 
hours, and did a remarkable job, yet he never spent a day in a classroom 
learning about cars or how they worked or what they did.  He acquired his 
automotive acumen through physical experience--cars were his hobby and his 
passion.  Did he have "credentials," as we've come to define them?  No way.  
Was he an expert?  You bet.  

Of course there are differences between a mechanic and a doctor, but the 
value we've come to place on credentials alone has gotten a bit ridiculous.  

-Matt