In defense of autodidacts

So, I don't have any fancy learnin' (okay, that's not true, I did go to college, it's the math the did me in). Yet, there are people who think I'm supposed to keep my mouth shut because my name doesn't include P.H.d. As if somehow, I'd only be smart by getting a doctorate. Rest assured, many people have doctorates, and aren't that smart. I could understand, if I were a clergyman, why I'd need those things. And, indeed, if I am ever in a situation that presents itself where I am to be ordained (probably to the diaconate), I'll be sure to get the proper education. But, as it is, I am just a layman on the interwebs who writes about the Bible. Because I love the Word of God. I love the Word of God, because while I am not always the world's greatest Catholic (I am a sinner in need of God's grace), as a Christian, I feel like this is something laity needs to be more invested in. Do not misunderstand me, I am not calling for a Protestant style of private interpretation. But, one thing I've found, digging through the Bible, is that one verse can have many meanings. As long as it's without the parameters of Church teaching, I think the laity reading the Bible presents no harm. So many people think this will lead to Catholics being Protestant, I say the exact opposite is true, it will lead to Catholics being able to defend their faith, from scripture.
Because the internet is the internet, if I were Protestant, and I saw the people who were CONSTANTLY talking about tradition (and many of these people can't distinguish between lower case t and upper case T, if you know what I mean), I would have never become Catholic.
As an autodidact, I reject the idea that I can't learn things on my own. It's why I don't like so called "fact checkers" (the ones that say abortion ends a pregnancy, for instance, it ends a baby's life!). To me, this feels like you're telling me I'm not smart enough to do the research on my own. I'll be the first to tell you, I've learned more from reading than I ever did at school. "But Charlie, didn't you learn to read at school"? Nope, my parents taught me how to read. Probably should have put more of that effort into learning math, though. (I am bad at math, which I fully admit to).
Now, to be sure, I did learn important skills at school. Like, how to sign a check (which I've never done, unless you count a paycheck I've cashed), how to use a sewing machine, and how to change an ink ribbon. I was also taught cursive. Other than sewing, how are any of those still useful?
I also think it's important to note, that a lot of the most important people in Church history, did not have fancy educations. Read your New Testament. Now, of course, they weren't stupid, but they focused on the more practical. I guess that's what I'm getting at. It's one thing to think you're more competent in an area than you are (and even educated people fall into this), but it's another to focus on the practical. I would love to learn to sew by hand, but my vision is getting worse (more on that, later), and I'm not sure I'd be able to. But learn to sew, learn to fish, read your Bible, of course, make sure you're reading it in-line with the Church, but read it, grow your own food. You don't need a college degree for these things.
To leave you with some Bible, because I'm me, and I'll never do otherwise:
"For consider your call, brethren: not many of you were wise according to the flesh, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth; but God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong, God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no flesh might boast in the presence of God" (1 Corinthians 1:26-29)
Bible used* Revised Standard Version Bible, Ignatius Edition, Copyright 2006, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America.