Many people are more persuaded by rhetoric than truth.
Which is a huge problem. It reduces politics to a high school popularity contest which excludes discussions of substance.
Real experts lose the debate because they're not trained in rhetorical manipulation, and they can easily be demonised.
The idea that experts with PhDs and decades of experience may have more skill and experience than an ordinary person offends the ignorant. ("You don't tell me what to do.")
The result is popular support for disastrous self-harming policies.
Which is a huge problem. It reduces politics to a high school popularity contest which excludes discussions of substance.
Real experts lose the debate because they're not trained in rhetorical manipulation, and they can easily be demonised.
The idea that experts with PhDs and decades of experience may have more skill and experience than an ordinary person offends the ignorant. ("You don't tell me what to do.")
The result is popular support for disastrous self-harming policies.