I often deal with PMC people. They are trained in a system of extreme division of labor. That means you may be an expert, and sometimes the only expert in the whole world, to treat the middle finger of the left hand. However, if someone asks questions about the middle finger of right hand or, god forbid, thumb or toe, you are clueless. You are expected to refer him to another expert.

How do these ultra-specialized "experts" verify information about anything else? For something to be considered valid by them, it has to come from an expert in another narrow field. So, for virology, they only trust virologists from some big name institution. In fact, they may prefer to go to SARS-corona-virologists, because how can someone studying AIDS virus also be an expert in SARS-coronavirus? That is their mindset, and I am talking about university professors, not small fries.

Then they take the same logic to the next level. For news to be valid, the articles have to come from the "experts" of news, which usually means NY Times. How can a blog or website tell them anything about any topic? When I talk to them, I see them verify all kinds of information by searching at NY Times and making sure the newspaper agrees.

All kinds of logic fail on them. They appear rational on the surface, but probe deeper and you find extreme irrationality because of their expertise and information verification system.