How to Spot Enlightenment Peddlers

It can be difficult to distinguish genuine public intellectuals from false ones ("enlightenment peddlers"). These are people who present themselves as public intellectuals but who violate basic rules and norms that define intellectual responsibility. ​ This was as true in Plato's time as it is today. However, the internet and the subcultures within it have made it much easier for such people to promulgate their views. ​ Here is a list of "red flags" that a person may be a truth peddler which I hope will be of help to the consumer. None of these on its own is definitive, but the more of them that apply, the more it is advisable to treat the person with caution.