> "These are dangerous times. Never have so many people had access to so much knowledge, and yet been so resistant to learning anything."
- Tom Nichols, The Death of Expertise
- Tom Nichols, The Death of Expertise
It wasn't a complete suppression of the facts, but an awful lot of genuine experts were manipulated into saying things that were misleading.
So I could pardon that particular mistake, at least a little. But I hold it against him for not recognizing where this manipulation was coming from, for well over a decade after it was blindingly obvious.
A large part of credibility in expertise is the ability to naturally lead. People tend to follow who reads as credible. If someone doesn't read as such, it isn't the fault their missing audience.
If they are credible and yet lack the ability to communicate that, I'd suggest that's both rare in-practice but would be a dire skill issue. Examining what is wrong with them and why better people aren't employed would be the logical next step.