The quality of research done by people who advocate for “do your own research” is only as good as their education.

I have a friend who is my age, graduated college with me and likes to do his own research. I love the guy, but his ability to parse complex information is simply bad. He thinks that his own research on medical issues is superior to that of all doctors simply because he interprets what he reads in whatever way he wants it to mean. He never even tries to debunk anything.

I love the guy, and I’ve known him more than half my life now, but I have to simply humor him on medical advice.