[Image Source] (https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2021/11/11/fact-check-photo-doesnt-show-dog-study-funded-dr-faucis-agency/8551543002/)
This post is in response to a question posed by @dbruce (https://peakd.com/week-15/@dbruce/week-15-questions-expertise-and):
Who is an example of somebody that is an expert in their field that society has entrusted an enormous amount of power in?
In my opinion, Dr. Anthony Fauci is an example of someone who is an expert in the field and has been entrusted with an enormous amount of power. Dr. Fauci appeared on various news channels frequently throughout the early stages of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. He acted as the main medical consultant for the citizens of the United States as he provided his own opinions and judgements on how to proceed through the pandemic. With his background in immunology, he was quickly trusted by many to be a reliable source for information. In fact, many Americans would wait to hear the word of Dr. Fauci before they made any decisions about sheltering in place or wearing masks; he became a sort of guidepost for society. The problem is that, while Dr. Fauci may be an expert in the area of immunology, no one is an expert in this particular strain of coronavirus. The COVID-19 pandemic was unique in its origins and novel to all medical professionals; it had never been seen or treated before. But with Dr. Fauci’s conviction for our next steps, many viewed him as an expert in the COVID-19 pandemic and relied heavily on his advice. This becomes an issue when Dr. Fauci encourages those beliefs and says that his opinions are only facts and not mere inferences. Much of what Dr. Fauci has said over the past 18 months has turned out to not be completely true, and instead of simply proclaiming his ideas as educated guesses, he continued to perpetuate that image. While it is easy to see the flaws in this type of loyalty now, it makes sense as to why we allowed it to go on for so long. When there is a situation like the COVID-19 pandemic where no one knows what is going on and cannot imagine what is next, it is easy to listen to and latch on to the words of those established experts in similar fields. Dr. Fauci is just one of many examples of adoration of highly educated, highly experienced individuals.