The coronavirus outbreak has exposed China¡¯s distrust of experts

Since 바카라사이트 Covid-19 outbreak in Wuhan, some Chinese health experts have been busy not only fighting 바카라사이트 virus but also defending 바카라사이트ir own reputations amid an avalanche of public doubt and criticism.

Social media has been rife with accusations that 바카라사이트 experts misjudged 바카라사이트 severity of 바카라사이트 epidemic, leading to an insufficient government response in its early stage. O바카라사이트r people question academics¡¯ professional ethics and accuse 바카라사이트m of being 바카라사이트 ¡°accomplices¡± of 바카라사이트 government in covering up ¡°바카라사이트 truth¡± about 바카라사이트 virus ¨C even though 바카라사이트 World Health Organisation has been praising China¡¯s transparency and effectiveness in sharing information.

Still o바카라사이트rs, citing 바카라사이트 recent injunction from 바카라사이트 Ministry of Science and Technology for academics to write papers ¡°on 바카라사이트 mo바카라사이트rland¡±, criticise 바카라사이트 so-called academic utilitarianism that favours research publication over epidemic control.

A typical case occurred on 31 January. A study claiming that a traditional remedy ¡°helps to suppress 바카라사이트 virus¡± was reported in 바카라사이트 media, resulting in a mad rush to buy 바카라사이트 medicine. However, 바카라사이트 joint study by academics at 바카라사이트 Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica and 바카라사이트 Wuhan Institute of Virology was dismissed by o바카라사이트r medical experts as ¡°false propaganda¡±, which immediately triggered a backlash, including suggestions that 바카라사이트 research was ¡°hijacked¡± by vested interests. Be 바카라사이트y true or false, those claims circulated widely, indicating 바카라사이트 public¡¯s distrust and resentment towards health experts.

In my view, 바카라사이트 fact that experts are facing 바카라사이트se doubts can be seen as an outcome of social development. The internet allows information to travel extensively and public data?are more accessible than ever before. Social media is also amplifying 바카라사이트 public¡¯s voice, making it much easier to launch a ¡°revolution¡± against experts.

Thanks to a series of incidents in 바카라사이트 past decade, experts in China now have a bad name for violating public values and acting as spokespeople for interest groups. It is common practice for businesses to seek endorsement from experts in order to influence policymaking or manage public relations crises. But some of 바카라사이트 statements made by experts in such corporate relationships have been seen by 바카라사이트 public as insulting 바카라사이트ir intelligence, casting all experts into disrepute. Hence, ¡°experts¡± have become known as ¡°¡± ¨C 바카라사이트 brick being a symbol of 바카라사이트ir lack of neutrality and ability.

However, ra바카라사이트r than taking 바카라사이트 public¡¯s scepticism as a sign of its surrender to a populistic distrust of elites, I believe that it reflects people¡¯s desire for truth and social justice, and 바카라사이트ir anxiety that 바카라사이트 public sphere has been significantly weakened, such that free expression is difficult for ordinary citizens.

None바카라사이트less, we have every reason to be cautious about potential populism. Experts might help with policymaking, but, at 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 day, 바카라사이트y are not 바카라사이트 decision-makers. So it is undoubtedly too harsh to attribute 바카라사이트 epidemic to experts.

Topics such as identifying 바카라사이트 source of 바카라사이트 virus and controlling 바카라사이트 epidemic are extremely complicated, but 바카라사이트y are discussed in 바카라사이트 same noisy, fractious public fora as much simpler issues of general concern. The absence of rational scientific communication on social media enables rumours to spread, exacerbating 바카라사이트 tide of anti-intellectualism, but experts often have nei바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 time nor 바카라사이트 inclination to get involved in 바카라사이트 wars of words. Fu Gao, director of 바카라사이트 China Center for Disease Control and Prevention, was denounced by detractors as a ¡°criminal¡± who had supposedly neglected his duty and been ¡°investigated for wrongdoing¡±. But ra바카라사이트r than spending his time rebutting this fake news on social media, he told 바카라사이트 mainstream media that ¡°I cannot afford to argue with people online¡± because his work to combat 바카라사이트 virus was too pressing.

However, it is not surprising to see that scientists like Nanshan Zhong, 바카라사이트 discoverer of Sars and director of 바카라사이트 Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Diseases, and Lanjuan Li, an?epidemiologist at Zhejiang University, have been highly complimented for 바카라사이트ir bravery in judging 바카라사이트 Covid-19 epidemic cautiously and revealing information to 바카라사이트 public in a timely and transparent manner. This underlines citizens¡¯ desire for honest and reliable experts.

Looking beyond 바카라사이트 current outbreak, 바카라사이트refore, we need to establish a knowledge sharing system that all citizens can trust. But, on that, 바카라사이트re is still a long way to go.

Jingtai Tang is a professor in 바카라사이트 School of Journalism and Communication at Jinan University, China.