The real problem with "trust the science" is that the model-prediction-validation system that proved so successful with simple systems can't predict complex systems like climate, biology and human networks, the very things gov't claims expertise over.

This has been known for years but the clay feet of bureaucratic experts was publicly exposed only by their failure with specific climate and epidemiological predictions. While part of this was due to politics most of it was because we can't model those kinds of phenomena well.

The idea that somewhere, someplace there's an apolitical scientist who knows what Covid is going to do simply isn't true. When you have thousands of variables all of which have their own distributions it's tough. They may get it or it maybe not.

But to those who grew up in the late 20th century the idea that overall things may become more uncertain even as we grow more capable in specific subdomains is psychologically unacceptable. Culture and politics is still conditioned by the expectation of diminishing uncertainty.

But we are really heading into an era of increasing surprise. This should come as no shock. Information is surprise.