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🌊 How To Lose Society’s Trust
The APA provides a case study of why people now distrust the “experts”
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Editor’s Note
Last week, one of our writers prepared an article about the prevalence of SSRI anti-depressants and RFK Jr.’s new commission to investigate them. Such an article almost has to reference the American Psychological Association (APA), which represents the psychological establishment. Yet while editing the piece, I found myself thinking, “I’m not sure if I trust the APA.”
As our writer modified the SSRI piece to consider that, I went down a different rabbit hole. I wanted to know: Why wouldn’t I trust the APA? Should I?
What I unearthed was a case study in how an ostensibly non-political organization adopted progressive social views, took positions beyond its field, and compromised its legitimacy. This story – which could be applied to countless once-widely respected organizations – explains not just why people have lost trust in the APA, but in “experts” and institutions more broadly.
By Max Frost
In August 2018, the APA released a dry-looking document entitled, “Guidelines for Psychological Practice for Boys and Men.” In an accompanying press release, the APA summarized its findings: “Traditional masculinity – marked by stoicism, competitiveness, dominance, and aggression – is, on the whole, harmful.”
As the paper explained, men needed to be made aware of “privilege and the harmful impacts of beliefs and behaviors that maintain patriarchal power.” Practices that do so “have been shown to reduce sexist attitudes in men (Becker & Swim, 2012) and have been linked to participation in social justice activities.”
The paper went viral, sparking conservatives’ ire. Yet the guidelines didn’t surprise those who had been following the APA.
The APA – the US’ largest professional organization of psychologists – had already…
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Editor’s Note
Thank you all for your feedback on yesterday’s article about the process through which the pope is selected. We are aware that some people were offended that we ran the article before Pope Francis’ death. We’re sorry about that. We wrote the article because numerous people had asked us what would happen if he died.
Send us your thoughts on today’s story. What do you think? Are there other examples of this – ideological capture of institutions – we should investigate? Let us know.
Until tomorrow–
Max and Max