anti-intellectualism and wisdom

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/07/opinion/07rich.html
"The Brightest Are Not Always the Best"
by Frank Rich
December 6, 2008
The New York Times

Rich discusses Obama's current picks for government positions, especially economic ones, and compares them to JFK and his advisers, who were similarly known for their intelligence or academic ability, but who got us into Vietnam regardless. Rich remarks that he'd prefer if some of the people being put in power had the wisdom born of experience. (Although he does mention that this sort of meritocracy is preferable to Bush's cronyism and political litmus tests).

Of course: how in the world do we determine who's got "wisdom"?

What is particularly interesting is how Rich mocks McNamara for deploying charts and graphs to argue that the war was going well, while the people on the ground knew it was going badly; he also compares the current crisis to the Tet Offensive. The funny thing is that, as far as I know, the Tet Offensive was a military disaster for North Vietnam. The war was, in fact, going badly for them. The charts-and-graphs man was right. (I don't mean to be defending the decision to go into Vietnam in the first place). And frankly, while I'm reluctant to trust anybody, I'd much prefer someone who believes in numbers than who believes in their instincts, in their gut, in their wisdom. I like evidence: it is the basis of science.