I was being sarcastic and thinking about the anti-intellectualism that is prevailing today especially about the destruction of our planets climate and mass extinction. Neoliberals have been fighting against science for quite some time now. Instead of scientific experts that have a track record we now have pundits and opinion. Not an improvement.

Generally academics (have to) devote themselves to researching scientific knowledge and truths. So in general they “default less” and “question more” and fundamentally desire to serve a higher purpose. Exceptional crimes or pragmatic submission to ruling classes notwithstanding.

I wonder if renowned professors and academics are on average more ethical or the same as then.

You hear things like OP and think “Yeah there is a good reason why we stopped treating professors as authorities to consult on anything”. Just how many people must have known and just silently accepted this atrocity.