Small tidbits and Sparks of wisdom

The Dunning–Kruger effect describes a common cognitive bias: people with limited knowledge, skill, or experience in a domain often overestimate their competence, while those with greater expertise tend to underestimate theirs.

How It Plays Out

1. Beginners: They know just enough to be dangerous. Because they don’t see the full complexity of a subject, they assume it’s simpler than it is, and therefore overrate their ability.

2. Intermediate Learners: As they gain more exposure, they hit the “valley of despair” — realizing how much they don’t know, and their self-assessment drops.

3. Experts: With years of practice, they understand both the breadth of the subject and their own limits, often leading them to modestly underrate their competence compared to others’ perceptions.

Classic Situations

Workplace: A new hire confidently dismisses established procedures, thinking they have “better ideas,” only to later discover the hidden complexities.

Politics & Social Media: People skim a headline or watch a short clip, then act as if they are authorities on economics, medicine, or law.

Everyday Life: Someone watches a few YouTube repair tutorials and suddenly thinks they’re qualified to rewire a house.

Why It Happens

Illusion of Knowledge: You don’t know what you don’t know, so blind spots go unnoticed.

Confidence Miscalibration: Early successes give false reassurance.

Experts’ Curse: True experts are aware of nuance and uncertainty, so they hedge their claims and sound less confident — which makes novices seem more self-assured by comparison.

1. The Deeply Learned (the “experts”)

Who they are: Those who spend serious time in Torah, Halacha, Gemara — they see the depth, the contradictions, the commentaries, the weight of responsibility.

Self-perception: They tend to be humble, often underestimating their knowledge because they recognize how vast Torah truly is. The more they learn, the more they realize what they don’t know.

Behavior in giving / mitzvos: They know the halachic obligations and beyond (lifnim mishurat hadin). They are the ones who push real tzedakah, real communal responsibility, because they know the sources.

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2. The Moderately Engaged (the “middle learners”)

Who they are: Balabatim who work, may learn Daf Yomi or attend shiurim, but don’t immerse themselves fully. They know enough to follow, enough to talk, but not enough to appreciate the full complexity.

Self-perception: This group often overestimates its grasp. They’ll say, “We give enough,” or “This chumra isn’t necessary,” because they know a piece but not the depth. They don’t want to dive too far — it might obligate them more.

Behavior in giving / mitzvos: They give, but within comfort zones. They avoid stirring controversy. They’ll fulfill the letter of the law but rarely push themselves or others into higher levels of sacrifice.

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3. The Unlearned / Unaffiliated (the “novices”)

Who they are: Those not learning seriously, sometimes not affiliated, sometimes just going through motions. Their connection is superficial.

Self-perception: Ironically, this group can act most confident in dismissing obligations. “I’m not obligated,” or “This isn’t for me.” They lack the tools to understand halachic or communal depth, but may feel no shame in rejecting or downplaying it.

Behavior in giving / mitzvos: They tend to avoid giving, avoid deeper obligations, and may even discourage others — “Why push? Why rock the boat?” Their stance protects their own comfort and shields them from responsibility.

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The Parallel to Dunning–Kruger

Ignorant/unaffiliated: Like the novice who skims a subject and thinks they’ve mastered it. They dismiss obligations without awareness of their ignorance.

Moderates: Like the semi-trained who overestimate their competence. They believe they “know enough,” but their reluctance to go deeper holds them back.

Truly learned: Like experts, they see the vastness, admit what they don’t know, but their humility leads to a stronger and more authentic commitment.

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 In other words:

The less one knows, the more confident he feels in excusing himself.

The moderately involved often think they know enough to set limits.

The deeply learned know how much weight they carry, and that obligates them to lead by example.