# 14. Overload ## 14.5. Methodology/Refinements/Sub-species ### 14.5.2. The Curse of knowledge This effect occurs when knowledge of a topic diminishes one's ability to think about it from a less-informed perspective. It implies that better-informed persons or groups find it extremely difficult to think about problems from the perspective of less-informed people. The implication is that in some cases, the addition of knowledge may actually become a disadvantage. It is a phenomenon that many of us will have noticed at school or college where an obviously very talented specialist makes an appalling teacher. The individual is unable to relate to the ignorance of his students and makes assumptions about knowledge his students simply don't have. This effect is similar to "Information Overload" but deals with more than a simple overload of data or information; rather it concerns an overload of knowledge. It is commonplace in the academic world where a specialist may propose the most complex and convoluted motives to explain a problem whereas the reality is much simpler. For instance, a sociologist could extrapolate all kinds of motives for the behaviour of a petty thief found shoplifting, when in reality the primary motive of the thief could simply be hunger or maybe being just too lazy to work. This is a frequently used manipulative technique in the legal and political fields where a specialist witness can be easily confused or manipulated in trying to explain a rather simple crime or politically embarrassing event. A manipulator can take advantage of this propensity in a specialist witness to influence the conclusions that are drawn about a particular subject. ## 14.6. Avoidance and Counteraction ### 14.6.2. Curse of Knowledge If as an expert you find your listeners drifting off or you believe you are being deliberately manipulated to make an expert statement that confuses another victim group, then you need to act to overcome the curse of knowledge. The solution generally comes down to issues of how to communicate with non-experts. As Einstein said, "If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough." So if an expert is having difficulty communicating with a novice group, obviously some preparatory work is missing. Experts can be trained to work effectively with novice groups and specialist training companies carry out such training. Firstly the concepts need to be isolated and reduced into deliverable bits of information as if they were being explained to teenage kids - intelligent but with no prior knowledge. Then this information needs to be delivered calmly and the knowledge needs to be consolidated at each step, with an eye to the slowest member of the audience. It's not a race. Things to avoid: All jargon should be avoided even if it is explained. Jargon takes more than a few minutes to sink in so it just remains meaningless and confusing to a listener. Things which help: Analogies, examples, diagrams, comparisons, empathy with the listener and time - enough time for the listener to absorb the packages of knowledge.