[asdff]

The difference between Einstein working in the patent office and the 'armchair physicist' isn't that we live in a more cynical era. The difference is that Einstein submitted his work to be published in a reputable journal. If you have some ideas and don't want to be called an 'armchair scientist,' you are free to publish in a preprint journal and it will probably get accepted if the work is good. It has never been easier in history for an individual to share their scientific ideas with the world.

Personally, I could do away with all the armchair epidemiologists that have come out from the woodwork during this pandemic, and would much rather people and politicians be getting their information from experts who publish their thoughts for the scientific community.

If facebook could offer at least as much moderation as the newspaper stand of yore, the world would be a much less polarized place imo.