Much discussion in the house about whom to invite for a "Founder's Dinner" and what criteria to use (annual pledges? general fund grants? combination of the two?). As I listen to the declamations and protests, I hear two logical fallacies.

One is that person X has years of experience in fundraising at other similar organizations and therefore X's pronouncement is correct.

The other is that person Y has more formal education and as a result knows all about it.

I was shouted down when I had the temerity to mention that previous experience and higher education do not guarantee infallibility, and that someone else might have an insight and/or a solution, though experience and education may weigh heavily in the balance. How dare I speak! I'm not even on the finance committee. ::gulp::

I long ago learned, because I worked among people with little formal education and often highly intelligent, with different and creative approaches to problems, that dismissing someone's idea solely on the grounds of lack of experience or lack of education is truly ignorant.

And I also learned that against stupidity or ignorance, the gods themselves contest in vain. Fallacious arguments rule!

Shutting up now.