Honestly this one shocks me too.
We literally have doctors and economists with decades and decades of knowledge and experience better than they were in 1918. We put people through 13 years of school where they are top of their class every time to get into top universities, then another 4-5 years at the top of those classes to get into medical school/Masters of economics, then again at the top of their class to get into their specialties. Then decades more work related experience that leads them to more important positions based on their experience and education. We now have people educated in their field that far surpasses anything they had available in 1918. What do we do? Ask for their opinion? Put them in charge?
Nope, we just ignore their advice, create a bunch of incorrect memes and tell them they're idiots, they're wrong, and they're con artists with evil motives. Brilliantly played western world, brilliantly played.