The outcomes of human-social-status processes have never been epistemological evidence of anything except how humans allocate social status.

That is a fascinating sentence. So fancy and yet it conveys such a simple point. I have no doubt that you would fit right into an elitist, self-important, overly status-conscious academic environment where prestige is more important than actually achieving something on an intellectual or practical level.

That's still just the social and environmental part, of course. You'd still have to have some chops. But if you're anywhere as close to as smart as you think you are, that won't be a problem at all.

You're right; I got too caught-up in academia-speak.