7 Controversial Expert Opinions That Most People Don’t Agree With

Have you ever heard an expert make a claim that goes against everything you thought you knew? It can be jarring, but sometimes, those contrarian views turn out to be spot on.

Here’s seven expert opinions that fly in the face of conventional wisdom.

1. Intelligence is Largely Heritable

Despite our belief in the power of hard work, research suggests that intelligence is highly heritable (up to 86%)^(ref) and not particularly malleable.

While education may have some impact, interventions to boost IQ have shown limited success. The silver lining? Gaining knowledge and skills can still make us smarter in practical ways.

2. Markets are Mostly Efficient & Most People Can’t Beat Them

The efficient market hypothesis argues that stock prices reflect all available information, making it nearly impossible for the average investor to consistently outperform the market.

While bubbles and crashes seem to contradict this theory, proponents maintain that trying to time the market or pick individual stocks is a losing game for most.

3. Learning Styles Like “Visual” or “Auditory” Aren’t Backed by Science

Many of us believe we learn best through a particular style, like visual or hands-on learning. However, studies have failed to find performance benefits when teaching matches these supposed learning styles ^(ref).

It seems this theory is more pop psychology than hard science.

4. Obesity is Caused by Overeating

The age-old advice that weight loss is just a matter of willpower and eating less than you burn is basically correct, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. Our brains are wired to resist starvation, ramping up hunger as we shed pounds.

5. Physics Can Explain Everything, Even Phenomena Like Consciousness

Some physicists argue that the fundamental laws of physics, like quantum mechanics, can in principle explain everything we see around us – from the beauty of a sunset to the emergence of consciousness.

While calculating these complex phenomena is still beyond our grasp, the underlying rules may be simpler than we think.

6. Kids Don’t Learn Languages Faster Than Adults, But Achieve Better Mastery

It’s a common belief that children pick up new languages effortlessly. Research shows adults actually learn faster in the early stages. However, with continued practice, adult learners hit a plateau while children who start young can achieve native-like proficiency ^(ref).

So there may be a grain of truth to the adage about learning languages young.

7. By Many Measures, We’re Better Off Than Past Generations

Doom-and-gloom headlines might make you think the world is falling apart, but by most metrics, humanity is better off than our ancestors ^(ref).

We live longer, have access to more education and opportunity, and enjoy a quality of life that would have seemed like science fiction a century ago. While progress is uneven and new challenges arise, the big picture is rosier than many believe.