Free Advice for Jonathan Alter

When Socrates went looking for wise men, he found himself disappointed by the politicians, the philosophers, and by the poets as well. He finally stopped in to see the artisans:

At last I went to the artisans. I was conscious that I knew nothing at all, as I may say, and I was sure that they knew many fine things; and hereI was not mistaken, for they did know many things of which I was ignorant, and in this they certainly were wiser than I was. But I observed that eventhe good artisans fell into the same error as the poets;--because they were good workmen they thought that they also knew all sorts of high matters, and this defect in them overshadowed their wisdom; and therefore I asked myself on behalf of the oracle, whether I would like to be as I was, neither having their knowledge nor their ignorance, or like them in both; and I made answer to myself and to the oracle that I was better off as I was.

So Jonathan Alter, Mr. Tough Guy No-Excuses-for the-Bum-Teacher reporter man, don't apologize for you blind and arrogant ignorance. Just stop pretending that that you are anything but; it just spoils that sliver of expertise that you may rightfully claim, otherwise.