The “Appeal to Authority” argument
The Appeal to Authority Argument: New PhD says others have “no authority” to question her work, implying lay people are stupid. Hmmmm.
“Crafting your scientist brand” – the rise of the celebrity expert
Scientists work with PR offices to establish a personal brand as a celebrity expert.
Meaningless propaganda: Doomsday clock at 90 seconds to midnight
The Doomsday Clock is pointless and useless but gets much media attention. Its sole purpose is for propaganda purposes.
Media: Don’t do your own research, rely on experts
Expert suggests you not “do your own research” and think for yourself. Rely on the experts, like him, apparently.
Media: Rely on Appeal to Authority to vet information
In the same week, probably half a dozen allegedly independent media outlets all run stories saying “trust the experts, do not think for yourself”. Wild.
Rent: Every year the media falls for this
Every year, an activist/lobbying group issues a report saying people earning minimum wage cannot afford to rent an apartment anywhere in the country. They play a sleight-of-hand trick by obfuscating (and not revealing) that they are saying such individuals cannot rent an apartment priced at the 40th percentile. Stated another way, this report finds – every year – that people earning minimum wage can not rent apartments priced in the top 60 percent of the market – yet obviously, lower earners likely rent at the bottom of the market, not the top. Every year, the media morons run the same story, never understanding what this report says.
Another one: Why do science and health reporters lack backgrounds in their subject?
More “Science and Health” reporters with no training in either science or health. One positions herself as an “AI expert”.
“The AI” as the new “appeal to authority argument
The AI – e.g. ChatGPT – may become the “appeal to authority” argument source within another year or so. Disagree with someone or something? Just quote them what The AI says – that will be seen as the authority. And those who control The AI will control the world.
Twitter Blue Checks
I had never investigated the Blue Check program until moments ago. It is used to further our neo-feudalism of elite versus the plebians, ensuring that we know our place. Only the truly elite are supposed to get Blue Check marks. Blue Checks are a mark of techno-nobility.
“How junk science got spread like wildfire”
Two appalling bad studies were widely shared by “experts” on social media. One was so bad, and its errors so obvious, that they only way they could have decided to share was to do so without having read even the abstract of the study.