Do you really need to announce your credentials for your view to be taken seriously?

[BerylStreep]

I haven't noticed it much before, but it seems that on quite a few of the threads I have read recently, people feel compelled to cite their credentials in order for their view to be taken more seriously (or to try to 'top' anyone who is disagreeing with them).

In the last week alone I have read things like:

Well actually, I have a degree in history & economics and therefore know everything there is to know about the subject.

I have been a practising lawyer for the last 15 years and therefore my opinion on everything legal is correct.

Yes, in fact, I was privately educated from the ages of 3-18 - in, I believe, the top girls' school in the country.

I have the last word on all DV issues because my Mum started a women's refuge.

Maybe it is just the types of threads I have been reading, which turn into bunfights. Now I come to think about it, I haven't seen too much of it on Style & Beauty.

There are times when I am on a thread, and I have a good knowledge on the subject, either professionally or through educational qualifications, but I have never felt the need to announce to MN what that professional experience or qualifications are.

Is it just me?

Aw, poor Abs. Shall I start a thread for you?

Equally, though, people ask. Or indeed tell. I've been told I would think that, since I'm a state school teacher, plenty. Except that I'm not.

You also see a lot of 'well, you wouldnt/ couldnt know' or, 'where did you go to school/university?' or 'you have no idea what it's like to have a child with SN' type posts, which, unsurprisingly , people are quick to correct.

I'm in two minds to be honest, I work in a very specialist area, so it could be identifying. I might just spout out random facts about Putin to keep myself amused

Abs is either
An expert in radioactive toxicology
or
A spy counter-intelligence agent.

Do I get a prize?

I wanna know, I wanna know!

I can see why the OP is concerned.
I only mention what my job is when asked why I seem to know quite a bit about a specialist area.
I always qualify any comment I make with see someone in RL. I try to stay out of the threads but when I see people giving advice that I know contradicts what at work would be national guidelines then I feel I have to give at least a counter point and point in direction of RL professional (in this case mostly GPs).
The point of my comment here is I guess that hopefully I'm not annoying anyone and that I do add this stuff because I really care about my area and get concerned to see possibly not quite right advice being given.

Abs have you seen this thread?

I haven't! I'm over there NOW

Is it a wrestling match or something? Or judo? He's very good at judo

Abs,
Are you Putin's wife, like the GP's wife referred to upthread?

I can neither confirm nor deny that I am Putin's wife

I wouldn't mind as he is allegedly worth $40bn and has nice pecs

They might be lying anyway.

Are the abs that you are boasting about not your own abs at all but the abs of your husband?

agree with OP aside from anything else, as 'experts' rarely agree, it hardly means jack does it?

Mine! As if. DH's are getting flabby, even though he'll deny it to the point of death

Hmm, I know we're not supposed to bring up old posts but were your abs not formerly made of croissant?

AbsofCroissant was one of my favourite MN names.

I think the most useful thing is when someone can find the right links easily - I've seen people on threads about the law, or planning, link to a page it'd have taken me ages to find on my own. But then of course, they could do that without saying how they knew of it.

They were! but nigh on a year of hardly ever having croissant, pilates classes and cardio they have been turned from croissant to awesome.