Hi Hubski
I was in a coffee shop today called KAFKA's. How could a thoughtful conversation not occur in such a place? I met a young man who told me he had been studying the question of whether one's social capital and use of social networks affected one's ability to prepare for typhoons in the Philippines (humanodon). His findings were inconclusive.
He had just defended a PhD dissertation on this topic and was now an expert in social capital. He told me that even on the day of his defence, he felt like an imposter and feared that they would see through him and see that he was a fake.
It seems as though a lot of people feel like an imposter, tehstone.
The young man, Justin, told me that one factor contributing to the feeling of insecurity was this: the greater difference between the highest and lowest income earners in a country, that is the more unequal a society is, the greater the anxiety around negative judgements from others.
In other words, your feelings of insecurity around what you know -- even if you are an expert in the topic -- are greater the more unequal your society is.
And then he sent me this TED talk with all the data.
I watched it and wanted to share it with you.
Also, if you've read this far, please share with me here or by IM any imposter feelings you experience. Thanks.