Why You Shouldn’t Trust Any Expert You Can’t Understand

“My first appearances were mostly at small educational institutions – adult education centers and public libraries. The audiences there are open-minded and curious, but often over 60 and with little or no background in technology. Looking back, I know now: that was the best school I could have wished for. I had to learn how to explain complicated topics in simple terms.

Even in school and university, I was skeptical of explanations that were hard to follow. The smartest people I’ve had the privilege of meeting in my life share one quality: they can express even the most abstract ideas in plain language. Because only those who truly understand a subject can answer questions like these: What is it really about at its core? What’s left when you strip away jargon and unnecessary complexity? What everyday image makes the topic intuitively clear? Clarity is not a weakness – it’s the ultimate proof of expertise.

My experience is this: almost everything can be explained in simple terms. Cryptocurrencies, blockchain, the dark web, cybercrime, the power of Big Tech, digital sovereignty – all of it may be mathematically, technically, or economically complex, but the underlying concepts can always be made tangible.

For some experts, surrounding themselves and their subject with an aura of impenetrability seems to be part of their business model. I take a different approach – and I believe it’s the right one. Because truly understanding something – thanks to a talk, an article, or a book – is the prerequisite for making smart, informed decisions. You shed paralyzing fear, you can assess what is genuinely new and exciting versus what is just hot air. And you’re far less likely to fall for charlatans who promise great things and hope that no one notices how small the elephant really is.

Take the question of how employees can protect themselves against cyberattacks. The software and AI involved often operates at a high technical level. But the underlying principles are simple: cybercriminals appeal to emotions and desires, apply pressure, put themselves in their victims’ shoes, and disguise who they really are. IT security always rests on two pillars: a technologically well-equipped IT department – and the human firewall. Employees who understand how criminal tricks work are the best protection.

I’m not a computer scientist and I don’t write code. But I understand what’s at stake – and I explain it with passion and enthusiasm. My mission is to demystify, to spark curiosity, and to enable well-founded decisions. The German philosopher Schopenhauer once wrote: “Use ordinary words to say extraordinary things.” In other words: it’s about turning complexity into clarity – and making it useful. In my experience, that always works.” – Stefan Mey