thank you for the thought-provoking article, and cheers for speaking out. Makes one think about how many ideas and potentials we've missed out on as a society due to this informational asymmetry. Due to the expert-apprentice power structure.

I think you nailed it near the end where you remark on the absence of any sort of organized "body" waiting to vet you. It's just individuals. Perhaps individuals with strong connections between themselves, but individuals nonetheless. And importantly, individuals who were once at the same threshold that you're now hesitant to cross.

Of course, there are plenty of things that make every one of us different and qualified in separate respects, but I think that sometimes it can be grounding to recall those moments where those differences all but vanish. Moments of commonality if you will.