Recently, a think tank acquaintance wrote to complain about bad advice from linear thinkers as being so-called experts. He felt I was being "silly," and wondered if I agreed with him. Indeed, I do not; and I would like to take this opportunity to challenge his erroneous ideas regarding the term "bad advice" and its supposed recipients. Linear thinkers like to label anyone who is different or even thinks differently, as lacking in the ability to think for oneself.
Yet, I also appreciate the point of view that many in our "flat" think tanks may have, that the term "bad advice" has too many negative connotations. This is unfortunate, because the term could be used, in a more positive way, to describe an opinion that runs counter to someone else's common view. This is particularly true in the case of the think tank. I am all for diversity, including among thought tanks, but I also believe that it is important to distinguish between opinions, and - where that becomes impossible - unacceptableitudes.
Many in our profession, including myself, have had our views challenged on issues of importance to us, but then taken to the extreme, and gone along with the crowd, convinced that we were correct, and no one else was right, and so on. In other words, we have been called upon to self-correct, and to toe the line. It is often difficult to do that when you are thinking along linear lines. The term "bad advice" might be more appropriately used to describe this situation, rather than what I have described above, which is to describe an attitude.
This does not make me a bad person, or a bad academic thinker, or anything else. In fact, I have some of the best ideas man has ever had, and I use them every day in my work. The term "bad advice" is somewhat relative and perhaps needs to be narrowed down, if we are to apply it to a set of idealistic and abstract ideas. Perhaps we should call these idealists "linear thinkers," instead. After all, those who disagree with me are not really trying to improve the world, or the way things should be.
In any case, I sincerely hope that you will consider this. If I am wrong, I apologize, and I hope you will please consider that you too need to be careful when listening to some of what the so-called experts on anything, including the topic of "how to run a think tank." Sometimes their advice is good, sometimes not. Please know that. And if you are really into the subject and spend hours looking for the most intelligent and successful people out there, who happen to disagree with you on some topics, then perhaps you can learn a thing or two from them, especially if they are willing to be interviewed.
Indeed, I hope you will please consider all this and think on it. Perhaps you might also take another step in your search for the most efficient and successful people out there, who happen to disagree with you on certain issues, but at least you will get their insights. Perhaps you might consider all this in 2021. If you have any comments, questions, concerns, or even case studies of bad advice from linear thinkers posing as so-called experts on anything, I'd be happy to hear.