Confidence is often inversely proportional to expertise. If I were a good liar, I could pass for an expert on a number of esoteric topics. I could, that is, unless any audience member possessed enough knowledge to recognize my act as just that. But if I had already convinced key members of my audience of my expertise, the objector could be easily dismissed. That is why science and scientific endeavors can be so aggravating.
Scientific jargon and pseudoscientific gibberish are indistinguishable to an appropriately uninformed audience. Thus can the uninformed confidently make terrible decisions based on confidently delivered bad advice of the intellectually unencumbered.
Quashing a terrible recommendation from highly regarded idiot is nearly impossible.
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