Summary of the Key Points
This article criticizes a common and ridiculous phenomenon on the internet: many people, who know nothing about their respective fields, love to criticize experts, professionals, and even animals, as if they are more knowledgeable than the experts themselves. From mathematicians and Olympic champions to ancient poets, even a grazing cow, no one is spared from these so-called “amateur mentors.” Some of them pretend to understand but end up making ridiculous mistakes; others do it just for the sake of criticizing, possibly out of feelings of inferiority or a desire to hide their true selves, which only makes them look pitiable.
1. They Dare to Criticize Anything: From Mathematicians to Cows
These “mentors” are everywhere online and seem to think they have the right to comment on anyone’s expertise:
- Mathematics: Deng Yu, a candidate for the Fields Medal (the highest award in mathematics), was mocked by netizens on Zhihu for claiming that “a weak limit being bounded” is nonsense, as if they knew more about functional analysis than the potential Fields Medalist.
- Sports: Zheng Qinwen, an Olympic tennis champion, sought advice from Rafael Nadal’s coach; netizens said she couldn’t change the direction of her shots. Mbappé was given tips on shooting with small, subtle movements. Marathon runner Li Zicheng was criticized for his running posture.
- Literature: Some people dismissed Yan Zhenqing’s calligraphy as “rustic” and accused Li Shangyin of plagiarizing another poet, calling him a “little-known writer.”
- Even Animals Are Not Safe: A cow grazing in the field was criticized by netizens for its eating habits, suggesting it wasn’t suitable for farm work, as if they were experts in cattle farming.
These people act like “all-around coaches,” ready to comment on any topic without considering their own qualifications.
2. They Pretend to Understand but End Up Making Fun of Themselves
Many of these “mentors” don’t even have the basic knowledge and still criticize others confidently:
- Those who criticized Yan Zhenqing probably didn’t even know about the Four Great Calligraphers of Chinese history.
- The person who accused Li Shangyin of plagiarizing didn’t realize that “Night Rain Sent North” is a famous poem from the Tang Dynasty; they treated the poet as an obscure figure.
- Others came up with ridiculous comparisons like saying Li Qingzhao’s writing was overly ornate, Li Bai’s somewhat artificial, and Cao Xueqin not traditional enough, showing a complete lack of understanding of classic literature.
Their “sharp critiques” are based on nothing more than their own assumptions, leading to embarrassing mistakes.
3. It’s Not Only Ridiculous but Also Dangerous: Wrong Advice Can Be Harmful
Some of these “mentors” offer harmful advice:
- They suggest facing a hungry wolf by “just practicing more,” or that you can fight a tiger alone if you train hard enough.
Such absurd advice, if taken seriously, could be life-threatening.
4. Why Do They Criticize So Much? It’s a Mask for Inferiority
Behind their behavior lies a sense of inferiority:
- Similar to Will in “The Catcher in the Rye,” they talk tough but are actually afraid of being hurt (perhaps due to a lonely upbringing, they lack the ability to trust others).
- The person who vowed to eat dirt if Fan Zhendong won the championship later regretted their prediction and started criticizing others, using negative comments as a way to feel better about themselves and hide their own emptiness.
They use their supposed desire to help as a cover for their insecurity—by insulting others, they try to appear more knowledgeable.
5. What to Do When You Meet Them? Don’t Take It Seriously
The article suggests not taking these critics seriously:
- Their behavior stems from a lack of knowledge, confidence, and a need for attention.
- After seeing enough of their criticism, people will realize they are not impressive; instead, they will feel pity for them.
In conclusion, the so-called “amateur mentors” on the internet are simply people trying to fill their own emptiness by belittling others. We shouldn’t be influenced by them. After all, those who are truly capable don’t need to gain attention by criticizing others.
(Note: Although the original user identified the author as an economist, this analysis focuses more on social phenomena, so I have presented the content in a way that explains the core issues clearly and in language that is easy for a general audience to understand.)