Hacker News Reader

Comment by NiceWayToDoIT | Hacker News Reader

On the completely different topic, I do not know why people asking why is there so much mistrust in authorities (politics, media, science)...

One day "coffee is good for you health", next day "coffee is bad for you"...

"fats are bad" next day "fats are good for you"

"microwaves are bad" > "microwaves are harmless"

"blue light is bad" > "blue light is ok"

"covid is just a flu" > "run for your life..." > "we can live with covid" ...

View on HN

We make new discoveries as time progresses. One experiment is set up and it’s results interpreted differently than another.

Now I don’t mind this and choose to believe the most recent credible findings. But I do understand when people see this as flip-flopping or maybe even contradicting.

I don’t like to admit it, but I also understand why that doesn’t particularly bolster trust.

I do not doubt scientific method, I doubt people's ability to carry out scientific method correctly and without bias and agenda.

Relative number of lies/media sensation is inversely proportional with trust. Solution, reduce corruption, sensational news and lies.

Note: Sorry about unrelated root topic, I remembered a scientist attending "Global Challenge Competition" asking "Why people nowadays more and more mistrust authorities..."

None of those statements are scientific and scientists don't talk like that, so the onus falls squarely on politics and media. And laypeople. People consume a ton of knowledge from their peers, even before social media.

Each of those points has enough nuance to fill volumes of research papers.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com