I've started loving this new series started by Aaron. Thanks a lot, Aaron. Keep 'em coming!
He isn't exactly making controversial points here, but rather trying to raise the awareness of such ideas.
He also isn't trying to sell you a pop-intellectual book.
From the wikipedia article on Sammelweis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ignaz_Semmelweis):
"It has been contended that Semmelweis could have had an even greater impact if he had managed to communicate his findings more effectively and avoid antagonising the medical establishment, even given the opposition from entrenched viewpoints."
This is the point. Anyone who is properly introspective is already following the good advice given here. But how about the total ramrods one has to deal with on occasion, those people who are crazy and deluded, whose self-confidence totally exceeds their grasp of the subject matter? Blessed is the man who can say to his line manager "I won't deal with N.N. any longer, he is incompetent and unaware of it." But sometimes the constraints of work do not permit not dealing with some people, or the boss is the crazy one. What to do in such situations?