Project Vision 21

The recent discovery of microscopic entities known as “viroids” (or “obelisks”) living in the human mouth made me reflect on how much we still don’t know about our own bodies, even though we often boast that we already know everything—or at least most of what there is to know.

According to a report in Science.org, scientists at Stanford University discovered a never-before-seen class of virus-like entities (hence the name “viroids”) that may influence the genetic activity of the human microbiome.

The researchers confirmed that the viroids reside inside a common oral bacterium (Streptococcus sanguinis). They have yet to confirm other hosts, but they suspect that at least a fraction of them are bacteria. It appears that viroids have the ability to modify the ribonucleic acid (RNA) of their hosts.

These microorganisms remind us that even in the most intimate spaces—our own cells—there are layers of life we have neither seen nor understood. For centuries, we assumed we were entirely familiar with our bodies, only to now discover tiny entities working silently within.

Findings like these indicate that knowledge is always provisional and that the limits of our awareness of reality may be much narrower than we believe.

Then I came across another article (in El País) about so-called “imposters without syndrome,” meaning those people who, without questioning their limited or nonexistent preparation, education, or talent, occupy positions or spaces they access precisely by concealing (whether consciously or not) their incompetence.

Although the phrase “imposters without syndrome” (the opposite of the “imposter syndrome,” studied since the 1970s) has not yet been formally accepted in the scientific field, the concept has gained traction in daily life, where, according to some psychologists and academics, the presence of such individuals is evident.

According to a recent story in Newsweek, “the impostor without the syndrome usually speaks with sufficient confidence on any subject; even if he is ignorant, he can build a reputation as an expert.”

One could say that the key trait of imposters without syndrome is not their lack of skills or education, but their lack of self-awareness about that deficiency. They are not ignorant of their ignorance; rather, they confuse self-confidence with ability and then spread that confusion to others for their own personal gain.

The discovery of viroids and the growing presence of imposters without syndrome—seemingly unconnected—are directly connected by what could be called the illusion of complete knowledge: the (false) belief that we have already “mapped” the world we inhabit, from our inner life to our public image.

But reality reminds us otherwise.

The obelisks invite us, with epistemic humility, to acknowledge that at least some parts of our inner life remain beyond our current reach. The imposters without syndrome invite us, with critical humility, to discern between self-confidence and genuine ability, both in ourselves and in others.

Perhaps we should begin to envision a more authentic version of ourselves—one grounded in the humility of the unknown and the discernment between boldness and bluff.