Another post from Expert But

DocBrain's father used to call his friend "Doctor But" because she would precede her medical opinions with the phrase "I'm no doctor, but..."

There is another word. Maven is a person who has more opinion than knowledge and who will gladly share, often without being asked, his wealth of weakly founded opinion. Somehow "Expert But" sounds kinder, and this is how DocBrain thinks of himself.

Where there is a lot of heat, there is not maximal light. So, whenever there is a debate, it is because of different priorities and different knowledge. Since you probably know why you hold your opinion, it is often more instructive to find out why other people hold their opinion. If a person shares their opinion with you, it is usually because they want something from you...either agreement that they are right, your following of their lead, or you to give them something (money, time, etc.). If a person is strong enough, they can just take it from you without explaining why they are right. If a person is undoubtedly right, your own conscience and judgement will lead you to give. So, whenever Expert But gives you something for nothing, remember that you are being asked for something. Be a good buyer and give it some time, research and thought before agreeing to something you may later regret.