There is a cover story for why the US attacked Iran. One that is almost believable. The argument goes like this:

Iran was developing a drone and missile program rather like the Iron Dome that would make it "impossible" for the US to bomb them, and that would mean it's impossible to stop them if they wanted to make nuclear weapons. So they had to be stopped from doing this now.

Does Iran have the right to defend itself? It's an ugly argument.

Trump has said he will "bomb them back into the stone age" -- This is the solution they have. Cripple anyone who might become able to defend themselves. Every time I hear the phrase "bomb them back into the stone age" a little bile rises in my throat. I'm an American. How must this seem to the people of Iran. What will they vow to do because of our childish chauvinism?

This view of non-western countries is common. It will be our undoing.

But the other point, (which I got side-tracked from thinking about the phrase "bomb them into the stone age" ... ) is that the cover story I just articulated is too complex for Trump to even attempt to communicate. That is his diabolical populist instinct. He never confuses his base. Never uses big words or ideas.

Never makes them learn anything since for some people the feeling of learning makes them feel ... stupid.

@GoblinQuester

I like to think that I'm in the same place but in growing up I had to get over a bit of self-consciousness and imposter syndrome driven anxieties. When encountering new people I wanted to bury them with expertise because I was scared someone would ask me to leave or decide I didn't belong. So I didn't like to admit when I didn't understand something. I'd try to play along then go home and study in secret.

@GoblinQuester

Now, I just say "I don't understand" as soon as I'm at all confused and I can learn things much faster. The kind of people I want to be respected by aren't phased by this, and the kind of people I used to worry about impressing were never going to be impressed by me no matter what I did. So it's much faster if I just ask questions when I have them and admit what I don't know.

Saves time.

@GoblinQuester

"You don't even know how -- works."
"That's right, I *don't* know how -- works. Will you explain it to me?"

When I discovered that this kind of person who I was so scared of finding out what I didn't know so often could NOT explain the topic themselves. Oooh. All of those worries vanished.

And if they can explain it? Well, now I know too. I win... or I win.

Wish I could have learned this at a younger age.

@futurebird @GoblinQuester

On reflection over many years I've come to understand that one of the most useful things I learned as a baby mathematician was the value of admitting that I don't know what I don't know and that I don't understand what I don't understand. I definitely didn't get this at all as an undergraduate! I learned in graduate school by example -- mathematicians universally talk to one another this way because it's the only way to get some math done. Repeatedly hearing various world-experts on subject X answer questions by stating that they don't know the answer as if it's the most natural thing -- which of course it is -- teaches this lesson really effectively.