[lo_zamoyski]

It always seemed odd how willing people are to defer to internet randos who are obviously out of their depth.

Of course, you also have to identify which experts are trustworthy. This is an important skill to have.

A non-expert must rely on at least two things to do this. The first are external signals, like financial associations and a record of making unpopular criticisms (but without being a contrarian or aiming for sensationalism), as well as reputational factors (not popularity, but a reputation for making strong cases).

The second is the basic coherence of their claims. If they make remarks that contradict basic reality, then this is not a good sign.

And of course, you have to be prudential and recognize your own limits.

These are probabilistic, naturally, and there is an expected divergence of opinion here, even between what you thought yesterday and what you think today.