In Jurassic Park III, Dr. Alan Grant says, "I have a theory that there are two kinds of boys: there are those that want to be astronomers, and those that want to be astronauts. The astronomer, or the paleontologist, gets to study these amazing things from a place of complete safety." When Erik Kirby points out that astronomers can't go into space, Dr. Grant responds, "Exactly. That's the difference between imagining and seeing: to be able to touch them."
Just as Dr. Grant contrasts astronomers and astronauts, there’s a significant difference between being an expert through observation and through experience. Astronomers and astronauts are both experts in space, but they gain and apply their expertise in two totally different ways.
Today, everyone can be an “expert” in something. That’s because we don’t have good vocabulary to describe someone who developed expertise via firsthand or secondhand experience. Firsthand expertise is knowledge gained through doing. Secondhand expertise is knowledge gained through observing.
A firsthand expert in cooking might be someone who spent decades as a chef in a Michelin star restaurant, whereas a secondhand expert might be a food critic who blogs about meals from top restaurants around the world.
It’s easy to develop expertise through observing. Observing is safe. It’s easy to point out what others are doing right or wrong. While secondhand expertise can provide valuable insights to relay to others, it lacks the depth and nuance that comes from actually doing the work.
Beware of the countless “experts” on social media who observe from afar, collecting case studies and repackaging knowledge learned from the firsthand experience of others. Let’s not throw “expert” around so lightly.
How much of an expert can you really be in copywriting if you haven’t written copy for clients?
How much of an expert can you really be in wildlife preservation if you haven’t been in the field protecting animals?
How much of an expert can you really be in software engineering if you haven’t built apps from scratch?
How much of an expert can you really be in politics if you haven’t held office?
Certainly, there are exceptions. And I’m not saying that you’re absolutely not an expert if you don’t have hands-on experience. I’m simply pointing out that there are levels to this. Secondhand experts stand on the shoulders of firsthand experts.
When push comes to shove, whose expertise would you trust more — the astronomer’s or the astronaut’s?
In a world where everyone has unprecedented access to information, it's the doers — those who transform theory into practice — who advance our knowledge.
