alt Hacker News> Obviously we can put more weight behind the words a person says if they’ve proven themselves trustworthy in prior areas - and we should!
no, you shouldn't
this is how you end up with crap like vaccine denialism going mainstream
"but he's a doctor!"
Credentialism isn't a fix for the problem you've outlined. If anything, over-reliance on credentials bolsters and lends credence to crazy claims. The media hyper-fixates on it and amplifies it.
We've got Avi Loeb on mainstream podcasts and TV spouting baseless alien nonsense. He's a preeminent in his field, after all.
Focus on what you understand. If you don't understand, learn more.