This. Back when I was in middle school learning about what a reliable source was and wasn't, major newspapers were taught as citation-worthy. I wasn't allowed

This. Back when I was in middle school learning about what a reliable source was and wasn't, major newspapers were taught as citation-worthy. I wasn't allowed to cite my textbook, but I could cite the New York Times. I still respect the New York Times but even they've jumped the gun so many times recently it's hard not to question. If I was less educated and didn't understand the economic/social forces driving them and how to account for that I'd probably just write them off entirely as many have done. Same goes for government agencies and the medical establishment. People have literally been killed, sometimes slowly and painfully on account of their corrupt advice. Edit: Lot of down-votes all of a sudden. For the record I'm not endorsing anti-vaxxers. Just saying in a world where skepticism of institutions is rightly warranted many will take it too far.