It might be a bad mode of thinking, but it is true for the larger part of the population. They don’t generally think they’re doctor might be wrong, unless the problem they asked him about persists. The primary method people use to deal with things outside of their expertise is “life is complicated and I’m busy”. Whole business models are built around this “Ace is the place with the helpful hardware man”, they’re advertising that they know household projects better than you, but they’ll answer your questions. The whole technical support concept. Consulting someone we’ve been told is an expert is a normal human reaction to things out of their depth.
Sure sometimes what the expert says doesn’t pass the sniff test, so you try somebody else. But then there was something that triggered it, AND you still kept consulting experts, and when you got an answer that passed the sniff test you stopped asking others. The last guy might have been just as full of it as the others, could be he was just better at selling it. You still went the normal human route of “I don’t know so I’ll ask someone paid to know”.
Nobody failed to live up to their expectations as adults. These are athletes, athletes spend their lives doing what the coach, training staff, and medical staff tell them. It’s the basis of their life, that IS what is EXPECTED of them as adults. And the league medical staff said “no long term effects from concussions”. Nobody is saying they aren’t capable of making their own decisions. Just pointing out that your assumption they should have known better is asking too much. It’s not dumb for 22 year olds that have been listening to doctors for all their lives to listen to the doctor again. It’s normal.
Sounds like we have a fundamental difference of opinion on the best nature of Man, even young Man. Once, the majority of this country agreed with me. Now, the majority probably agree with you. I guess we’ll see how that turns out.