Thread by @simonmaechling

People who call scientists “shills”… are the same ones who trust random influencers with zero credentials
and a discount code in their bio.

Let me explain. 🧵👇1/

A scientist with 20 years in chemistry?
🧪 “Bought by Big Chemical.”

But a podcast bro selling detox tea?
✨ “Finally, someone brave enough to speak the truth.”

Make. It. Make. Sense. 2/

They say:
“Don’t trust experts - they’re all corrupt.”
Then turn around and blindly trust:

❌ Wellness grifters.
❌ Anonymous Twitter accounts.
❌ Failed actors turned “health coaches” 3/

They don’t want peer-reviewed evidence.

They want rage.
They want vibes.
They want someone to blame.

And the algorithm feeds them exactly that. 4/

So they shout “SHILL!” at anyone who disagrees.
Because they can’t refute the science - so they attack the scientist.

Classic playbook:
→ Undermine expertise
→ Sell you their “truth”
→ Erode trust 5/

But here’s what they won’t tell you:

Most scientists don’t make millions.
They don’t get sponsored.
They’re not trending on TikTok.

They’re in labs, writing reports, checking data -
not selling you gut reset pills. 6/

Trust doesn’t mean blind faith.

It means asking:
→ What’s the evidence?
→ Can it be repeated?
→ Who checks it?

That’s science.
Not screenshot conspiracies in Comic Sans. 7/

Let’s be clear:

🧠 Critical thinking isn’t “believe no one.”
It’s “question everyone - especially the ones making bank off your fear.” 8/

So the next time someone yells “shill,”
ask them who they do trust.
If it’s a blogger with no degree, no data, and a merch store - you’ve got your answer. 9/

🧬 Scientists aren’t perfect.
But they’re trained to follow evidence - not vibes.

And in a world full of influencers faking expertise,
the real shills are often the ones yelling the loudest. 10/