Everybody has that one friend that boldly expresses their thoughts on everything, whether it’s politics, health, science, or even space exploration, without really understanding the subject. An ultracrepidarian is the term for such.
The phrase’s root is ne supra crepidam, an old Latin expression meaning “not beyond the shoe.” The backstory behind it is as follows: Apelles, a well-known ancient Greek painter, once asked for comments on his work. Apelles fixed a mistake in the sandal’s straps that a shoemaker had pointed out. The shoemaker, however, became overconfident and began criticizing other aspects of the artwork that he was ignorant of. Apelles cut him off at that point with a statement that essentially said, “Stick to what you know.”
Now, from family get-togethers to arguments on social media, ultracrepidarians are present everywhere. These are the folks who boldly debate subjects in which they have little to no knowledge and disseminate false information. Although everyone has an opinion, there is a thin line between expressing one’s own ideas from misrepresenting information as reality.
The use of social media has increased the prevalence of ultracrepidarian conduct. False information spreads more quickly than ever before, and people frequently act as experts on everything from politics to nutrition without verifying the facts.
So, the next time anyone around you boldy claims to know everything about a subject they’ve barely researched, you might just have an ultracrepidarian on your hands. Maybe send them this article, politely, of course!
