--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What shocks me is people who have no…" description: "\"What shocks me is people who have no expertise championing a view that runs counter to the mainstream scientific consensus.\" — Simon Singh" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba4/simon-singh-12419_consensus_what-shocks-me-is-people-who-have-no-exp_742836.jpg" --- # What shocks me is people who have no expertise championing… ![“What shocks me is people who have no expertise championing a view that runs counter to the mainstream scientific consensus.” quote by Simon Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba4/simon-singh-12419_consensus_what-shocks-me-is-people-who-have-no-exp_742836.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba4/simon-singh-12419_consensus_what-shocks-me-is-people-who-have-no-exp_742836.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba4/simon-singh-12419_consensus_what-shocks-me-is-people-who-have-no-exp_742836.jpg) > “What shocks me is people who have no expertise championing a view that runs counter to the mainstream scientific consensus.” [Simon Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-singh/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Non‑experts often promote ideas that contradict scientific consensus, causing confusion. **In simple terms:** Experts challenge misinformation. Key Takeaway Promote evidence‑based dialogue. Themes science misinformation expertise Mood critical analytical Type educational inspirational When to use this quote - policy debates - education curricula - social media platforms Key Concepts cognitive bias public understanding of science media influence Questions to Reflect On - How can experts engage skeptics respectfully? - What mechanisms reduce spread of unqualified opinions? A Different Perspective Public may distrust experts if presented condescendingly. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Consensus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consensus/) [Expertise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expertise/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) ## Related quotes > [The scientific consensus is that climate change is real, urgent, and caused by humans. This science should be both supported and understood by anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-schatz/the-scientific-consensus-is-that-climate-change-is-real-urgent-and/) [Brian Schatz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-schatz/) > [There's a better scientific consensus on this than on any issue I know - except maybe Newton's second law of dynamics...Man has reached the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-s-a-better-scientific-consensus-on-this-than-on-any-issue-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think a big misconception about GMOs is that there is a scientific consensus on their safety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-lister-jones/i-think-a-big-misconception-about-gmos-is-that-there-is-a-scientific/) [Zoe Lister-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-lister-jones/) > [I don't think drag will ever be mainstream because it's counter to what the mainstream directive is, which is picking an identity and sticking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupaul/i-don-t-think-drag-will-ever-be-mainstream-because-it-s-counter-to/) [RuPaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupaul/) > [Lightning sometimes shocks people because it just doesn't know how to conduct itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/lightning-sometimes-shocks-people-because-it-just-doesn-t-know-how-to/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [Not naming names, but it shocks me, some of the people who get the breaks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-dean-morgan/not-naming-names-but-it-shocks-me-some-of-the-people-who-get-the/) [Jeffrey Dean Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-dean-morgan/) > [“On April 11, 2011, Oriel FeldmanHall of Cambridge University ran an experiment as to how people would react when they had to inflict pain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-tobolowsky/on-april-11-2011-oriel-feldmanhall-of-cambridge-university-ran-an/) [Stephen Tobolowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-tobolowsky/) > [I just wanted to be part of telling a good story that shocks people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-payne/i-just-wanted-to-be-part-of-telling-a-good-story-that-shocks-people/) [Tom Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-payne/) > [I tend to go against the grain because when I start to see that everybody's trying to shock, I try not to. I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-bernhard/i-tend-to-go-against-the-grain-because-when-i-start-to-see-that/) [Sandra Bernhard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-bernhard/) > [The thing that shocks people... is that I mean what I say. I don't use hyperbole.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/newt-gingrich/the-thing-that-shocks-people-is-that-i-mean-what-i-say-i-don-t-use/) [Newt Gingrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/newt-gingrich/) > [To address the open question of whether we are addicted to technological devices and platforms, Congress must understand the current scientific consensus, potential gaps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-schatz/to-address-the-open-question-of-whether-we-are-addicted-to/) [Brian Schatz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-schatz/) > [“Dr. James Baker, former head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, said in 2005, “There’s a better scientific consensus on this than on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/dr-james-baker-former-head-of-the-national-oceanic-and-atmospheric/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [I do not find the supposed scientific consensus among my colleagues. Curiously, it is a feature of man-made global warming that every fact confirms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javier-cuadros/i-do-not-find-the-supposed-scientific-consensus-among-my-colleagues/) Javier Cuadros > [“people with strong “egalitarian” and “communitarian” worldviews (marked by an inclination toward collective action and social justice, concern about inequality, and suspicion of corporate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/people-with-strong-egalitarian-and-communitarian-worldviews-marked-by/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [“With any issue that comes up, when we have an emergent scientific truth, we can't just sit back and watch people debate a scientific…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/with-any-issue-that-comes-up-when-we-have-an-emergent-scientific/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Simon Singh > [All I am saying is that if you want to answer a question, then we need to examine and weigh up the evidence. To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-singh/all-i-am-saying-is-that-if-you-want-to-answer-a-question-then-we-need/) [Simon Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-singh/) > [One of the common responses to criticism of psychics is to suggest that even if their powers are illusory, there is no harm done.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-singh/one-of-the-common-responses-to-criticism-of-psychics-is-to-suggest/) [Simon Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-singh/) > [Scientists aren't necessarily good communicators, because they aren't trained to be good communicators.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-singh/scientists-aren-t-necessarily-good-communicators-because-they-aren-t/) [Simon Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-singh/) > [Many of the worst cases that triggered the campaign for libel reform involved corporations suing critics, so these particular sections of the bill are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-singh/many-of-the-worst-cases-that-triggered-the-campaign-for-libel-reform/) [Simon Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-singh/) > [The only consolation is that homeopathy can only be practised on animals by a fully trained vet or under the supervision of one, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-singh/the-only-consolation-is-that-homeopathy-can-only-be-practised-on/) [Simon Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-singh/) > [“Pascal was even convinced that he could use his theories to justify a belief in God. He stated that ‘the excitement that a gambler…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-singh/pascal-was-even-convinced-that-he-could-use-his-theories-to-justify-a/) [Simon Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-singh/) > [When I attended a forum on libel reform at the British Academy in 2011, 20 figures ranging from law professors to leading libel law…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-singh/when-i-attended-a-forum-on-libel-reform-at-the-british-academy-in/) [Simon Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-singh/) > [People back down because the libel system is so utterly hostile to journalists, bloggers, scientists. The smart thing is not to fight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-singh/people-back-down-because-the-libel-system-is-so-utterly-hostile-to/) [Simon Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-singh/) > [When I was finishing my PhD, I could just see people who were a bit quicker and brighter and smarter than me and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-singh/when-i-was-finishing-my-phd-i-could-just-see-people-who-were-a-bit/) [Simon Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-singh/) > [In my case, I estimate that the members of the British Chiropractic Association have an annual turnover of £100m, and the BCA decided to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-singh/in-my-case-i-estimate-that-the-members-of-the-british-chiropractic/) [Simon Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-singh/) > [Part of the problem is that if anybody has a gut reaction about an issue, they can go online and have it backed up.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-singh/part-of-the-problem-is-that-if-anybody-has-a-gut-reaction-about-an/) [Simon Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-singh/) > [Sunspots are hubs of intense magnetic activity and they trigger solar flares that launch charged particles, X-rays, ultraviolet radiation and radio waves at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-singh/sunspots-are-hubs-of-intense-magnetic-activity-and-they-trigger-solar/) [Simon Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-singh/) > [“In April 1977, Rivest, Shamir and Adleman spent Passover at the house of a student, and had consumed significant amounts of Manischewitz wine before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-singh/in-april-1977-rivest-shamir-and-adleman-spent-passover-at-the-house/) [Simon Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-singh/) > [The worlds of maths and science have a long history of naming important objects after people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-singh/the-worlds-of-maths-and-science-have-a-long-history-of-naming/) [Simon Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-singh/) > [Indeed, it is a proven mathematical theorem that a doughnut is topologically distinct from a sphere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-singh/indeed-it-is-a-proven-mathematical-theorem-that-a-doughnut-is/) [Simon Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-singh/) [Explore all 55 Simon Singh quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-singh/) ## More Consensus quotes > [There are dangers in consensus: it could be an attempt to satisfy people holding no particular views about anything. ... No great party can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/there-are-dangers-in-consensus-it-could-be-an-attempt-to-satisfy/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [The "family" has clearly emerged anew in the late 1970s as a central subject for discussion, debate, research and writing in bothscholarly and popular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-kamerman/the-family-has-clearly-emerged-anew-in-the-late-1970s-as-a-central/) Sheila Kamerman > [As a leader... I have always endeavored to listen to what each and every person in a discussion had to say before venturing my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/as-a-leader-i-have-always-endeavored-to-listen-to-what-each-and-every/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [The vision of extraordinary achievement is,by definition, a few steps beyond consensus and conventional logic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-belsky/the-vision-of-extraordinary-achievement-is-by-definition-a-few-steps/) [Scott Belsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-belsky/) > [The scientific consensus is that climate change is real, urgent, and caused by humans. This science should be both supported and understood by anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-schatz/the-scientific-consensus-is-that-climate-change-is-real-urgent-and/) [Brian Schatz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-schatz/) > [People of good character are not all going to come down on the same side of difficult political and social issues. Good people-people of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bennett/people-of-good-character-are-not-all-going-to-come-down-on-the-same/) [William Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bennett/) > [Effectively, change is almost impossible without industry-wide collaboration, cooperation and consensus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-mainwaring/effectively-change-is-almost-impossible-without-industry-wide/) [Simon Mainwaring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-mainwaring/) > [Those who know that the consensus of many centuries has sanctioned the conception that the earth remains at rest in the middle of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolaus-copernicus/those-who-know-that-the-consensus-of-many-centuries-has-sanctioned/) [Nicolaus Copernicus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolaus-copernicus/) > [The culturally, linguistically and religiously diverse population of Indian and Pakistani-administered Jammu and Kashmir has been unable to reach a consensus on the future…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nyla-ali-khan/the-culturally-linguistically-and-religiously-diverse-population-of/) [Nyla Ali Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nyla-ali-khan/) > [We are in a crisis today because the practical consensus between the left and the right, linking economic efficiency with social protection, has broken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-glucksmann/we-are-in-a-crisis-today-because-the-practical-consensus-between-the/) Andre Glucksmann > [That tertiary education is under a sustained assault by a political and - it often seems - social consensus that equates all education with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-self/that-tertiary-education-is-under-a-sustained-assault-by-a-political/) [Will Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-self/) > [Our normal expectations about reality are created by a social consensus. We are taught how to see and understand the world. The trick of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-castaneda/our-normal-expectations-about-reality-are-created-by-a-social/) [Carlos Castaneda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-castaneda/) > [I always worked as an individual artist even when Group Material asked me to join the group. There are certain things that I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-gonzalez-torres/i-always-worked-as-an-individual-artist-even-when-group-material/) Felix Gonzalez-Torres > [“But perhaps the greatest threat is that we lack the mechanism of consensus, a way of making up our collective minds.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-k-greenleaf/but-perhaps-the-greatest-threat-is-that-we-lack-the-mechanism-of/) [Robert K. Greenleaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-k-greenleaf/) > [There's a growing consensus that the best way to defeat communism in Cuba is to get its citizens hooked on American goods.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/there-s-a-growing-consensus-that-the-best-way-to-defeat-communism-in/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) [Browse all 564 Consensus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consensus/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What shocks me is people who have no expertise championing a view that runs counter to the mainstream scientific consensus.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Simon Singh" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-singh/what-shocks-me-is-people-who-have-no-expertise-championing-a-view/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Consensus" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-singh/what-shocks-me-is-people-who-have-no-expertise-championing-a-view/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba4/simon-singh-12419_consensus_what-shocks-me-is-people-who-have-no-exp_742836.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba4/simon-singh-12419_consensus_what-shocks-me-is-people-who-have-no-exp_742836.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba4/simon-singh-12419_consensus_what-shocks-me-is-people-who-have-no-exp_742836.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What shocks me is people who have no expertise championing a view that runs counter to the mainstream…” — Simon Singh", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Simon Singh", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-singh/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "What shocks me is people who...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-singh/what-shocks-me-is-people-who-have-no-expertise-championing-a-view/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-singh/what-shocks-me-is-people-who-have-no-expertise-championing-a-view/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```