The author discusses the basic skill of believing arguments and how most people lack this ability. They talk about their own ability to argue circles around the average uneducated person but acknowledge that there are people who can argue circles around them as well. They mention their experience with reading pseudohistory books and how they went through a cycle of believing arguments and then doubting them after reading rebuttals. The author concludes that they choose to accept the ideas of prestigious people in the field rather than crackpots. They also discuss the concept of epistemic learned helplessness and how it can be beneficial in certain situations. The author acknowledges that some people are better at taking ideas seriously, while others are more prone to epistemic learned helplessness. They discuss the examples of terrorists and responsible doctors to illustrate this point. Overall, the author presents a nuanced perspective on the skill of believing arguments and the role of epistemic learned helplessness.
https://slatestarcodex.com/2019/06/03/repost-epistemic-learned-helplessness/