This core issue is one that surrounds a lot of investments/companies: A lot of "smart people" like (or hate) this, so if I question it, they will think I'm dumb

This core issue is one that surrounds a lot of investments/companies: A lot of "smart people" like (or hate) this, so if I question it, they will think I'm dumb or not with the "in crowd." Basically, every financial scandal you can think of in the past 30 years had the press absolutely excited about it and pumping it. Enron, Maddoff, FTX, Theranos, WorldCom, Tyco, etc. One problem I've encountered is that a lot of people in the press are not trained in the field they are reporting on. So, they actually have no idea if you're blowing smoke. I worked with a newspaper and major publisher earlier in life and was shocked at how ignorant people that we read every day are on the very topics they are reporting on. Not to mention the abuse of alcohol and drugs that happens in the newsroom, which was baffling. The media does a lot better when it is looking at events and reporting on that rather than trying to derive some narrative or to get a scoop, especially when it involves business or government fluff. It doesn't help that a lot of journalists have what feels like a need for validation, but at the same time have big egos. All of these big scam artists know that and feed them.