That's one of the compensations for being mediocre. One doesn't have to worry about becoming mediocre.
Rebecca GoldsteinPhilosophical thinking that doesn't do violence to one's settled mind is no philosophical thinking at all.
Rebecca GoldsteinI think one reason is that philosophers are more insecure to speak accessibly because non-philosophers are skeptical that philosophers have any special expertise. After all, all people - not just philosophers - have attitudes and points of view on various philosophical questions, and they rather resent being told that there are professionals who can think about these things better.
Rebecca GoldsteinI was raised in an Orthodox Jewish household and I wouldn't say so much it's informed my views, but it's informed my interest, so I think as a child I was often very baffled by knowledge claims.
Rebecca Goldstein