Dear Avirah,
You misunderstand me again! Many in yeshiva understand the gemara! Probably more than everywhere else combined. But because of this, they give little thought to how the gemara came to be. And they give it much weight in some places. And to little in others.
I really think that fighting over proper belief is simple minded. Do you disagree?
I do not consider myself blessed with clarity or pure reason. I was blessed with being born into the yeshiva world in a real sense that is not common to even by the most committed kolleliet. And I have had access to many great talmedei chachamim. Including pre-war Yidden. My nomadic existence has given me the abilities to test which thought experiments only works within the yeshiva. And which ones are more universal.
It should not be hard to describe arrogance. Don’t worry about how I’ll take it.