In today's society, the word "expert" no longer seems to symbolize authority and trust, but has become a derogatory term in many people's mouths. The collapse of the image of experts is not a one-day cold, what is the reason behind this that makes their image plummet?
Not so long ago, experts were regular guests on various discussions and news programs, and their words were almost equivalent to divine decrees, and no one questioned them. Over time, cracks begin to appear in this unconditional trust.
The starting point of the problem can be traced back to a few years ago, when some self-proclaimed "experts" began to appear frequently in various media. Although these people have great titles, it soon becomes clear that many of them are actually using the power of the media to serve their own fame and interests.
Their rhetoric is often exaggerated and even disseminates unverified information, which makes the public begin to doubt the identity of "experts".
To make matters worse, with the rise of social media, where everyone has a voice, genuine professional advice and are mixed up to make it difficult to tell the truth from the fake.
For example, during the pandemic, different experts differed from each other on the pandemic, which not only did not help the public, but instead increased people's confusion and panic.
With the passage of time, some experts have begun to form some kind of interest binding with enterprises and political groups because of economic interests.
Their statements in front of the public are often no longer neutral and objective scientific opinions, but disguised advertising and political propaganda. This behavior seriously damages the overall credibility of the expert community.
Once public trust has been damaged, it is difficult to rebuild it. Now, when experts come forward to give their opinions, they are often confronted with doubts and rebuttals.
This climate of suspicion has spread from individual incidents to the entire community of experts, whose image is in jeopardy. The real experts are also feeling the pressure like never before.
Not only do they have to compete with the disinformation of fake experts, but they also have to work to restore public trust in the profession. They struggle every day to distinguish between truth and falsehood, and at the same time they have to make a name for themselves in the midst of misunderstandings and prejudices.
This state of affairs is undoubtedly a challenge for truly competent specialists. They need to pay more attention to communication with the public while maintaining professionalism and objectivity, and strive to make their insights understood and accepted.
But this road will not be easy, it will take time, and it will take the joint efforts of everyone. For us ordinary people, how to distinguish the truth from the false in complex information and how to choose a trustworthy voice has also become a compulsory course.
We can no longer blindly place our trust in the word "expert", but learn to think independently and critically analyze every piece of information.
The image and role of experts are undergoing a major transformation, not only as a self-renewal of a professional group, but also as a reflection of a society's changing attitudes towards knowledge and authority.
This evolution of expert credibility and social trust is far from over. We are at such a critical turning point, and the direction of the future depends in part on every decision and action we make now.