College student Quote by Barry Glassner
““In nearly every episode of fear mongering I discussed in the previous chapters as well, people with fancy titles appeared. Hardly ever were they among the leading figures in their field. Often they were more akin to the authorities in “War of the Worlds”: gifted orators with elevated titles. Arnold Nerenberg and Marty Rimm come immediately to mind. Nerenberg (a.k.a. “America’s road-rage therapist”) is a psychologist quoted uncritically in scores of stories even though his alarming statistics and clinical descriptions have little scientific evidence behind them. Rimm, the college student whom Time glorified in its notorious “cyberporn” issue as the “Principal Investigator” of “a research team,” is almost totally devoid of legitimate credentials.””
About This Quote
The passage critiques the credibility of self‑proclaimed experts in fear‑mongering, noting many lack genuine authority despite impressive titles.
In simple terms: Experts with flashy titles often lack real expertise.
Key Takeaway
Scrutinize credentials before accepting claims.
Themes
skepticism
authority
media
critical thinking
Mood
cautious
analytical
Type
critical
explanatory
When to use this quote
- news analysis
- academic research
- public policy debates
Key Concepts
credibility assessment
information literacy
expertise evaluation
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you verify an expert’s qualifications?
- When is it appropriate to trust authority?
A Different Perspective
Over‑reliance on skepticism can dismiss legitimate concerns.
