The curse of knowledge-a reminder from the Enoch Burke controversy

It’s an easy mistake to make.

That is, assuming everyone else is aware of and knows something that you do. That everyone has a similar grasp of how something works, for example the legal system.

It is only when a legal issue or controversy enters into the public domain and attracts a larger than usual amount of attention that the true paucity of knowledge and understanding becomes apparent.

For me it comes into view most often in the comments sections of my YouTube channel, Facebook page, Twitter page, and other social media sites.

If you take the Enoch Burke controversy, which at its heart is an employment law matter, the comments I have read on the various social media sites display a remarkable lack of knowledge about employment law and the legal system in Ireland.

It is a constant reminder that the curse of knowledge is real, and others don’t know what you know.

Why would they? They live different lives and usually have no need to understand the nuances of employment law or injunctions or contempt of court and similar issues.

It would be easy to be dismissive but that would be a mistake. For we need more people to know about how the legal system works and it is not operated by Machiavellian “corrupt judges”.

We need this to ensure our democracy and legal system is not undermined unfairly and brought into disrepute with a dangerous loss of confidence.