As long as the jackass doesn’t sell, they’re solid.
I had a roommate who invested, when his stuff went down more than 5% he’d sell it, “Don’t wanna be too risky,” he’d say, unaware that he was breaking the cardinal rule of investing…
Then, “Omg it’s up again, I better buy high before it goes higher!” then repeat pattern A again.
Moral of the story, if you actually believe in a stock, unrealized losses are not something to react to. Or do, and become a warning tale told to others, ha. Them -5% hits add up QUICK.
Yes, similar to the web of trust, there exists a web of trust for people based on reputation. Journalistic integrity, openness, scrutiny; these are just a few of the things that go away when experts go away.
People who dedicate their lives to truth should be recognized as such, and those who lie should be recognized as well. Outsourcing your information gathering to “randoms” just means that you will be swayed by whoever can afford the best bot farm.
And if you think you are unswayable, you are the perfect target.
Follow those who express curiosity, welcome questioning, and conduct themselves in good faith. It’s an iterative process, you don’t have to resolve it in a day.