It's an attitude based on experience. Far too much of the inbox of someone affiliated with a physics department is filled with: 1) cranks claiming to have debun

It's an attitude based on experience. Far too much of the inbox of someone affiliated with a physics department is filled with: 1) cranks claiming to have debunked something, 2) journalists looking for a sound bite, 3) curious laymen who quickly become angry when you point out the prerequisites they need to understand before they can understand the answer to their question. Is it healthy? No. Is it rational given the situation? Sadly, yes.