If by authority one means “having such expertise / understanding that you can just take my word for it with regards said subject,” then I claim no such authority — graduate degrees and certifications notwithstanding. I certainly don’t take anyone else’s [single source] word for anything, and I take the Jnani’s view that all knowledge should be subjected to one’s own experience and reasoning.

If, however, one means “having more insight than anyone else about the subject,” I would claim authority on the experience of operating the mind / body that is typing this reply.