concept
Relational Credibility
Relational credibility—trust in a person who seems to see you—can outperform methodological credibility on a press release. This is why independents, local journalists, and niche analysts gained influence even when their models were incomplete. Relational credibility is not purity; it can be captured by grifters. It still answers a need abstraction stopped answering when signaling drowned explanation. The policy question is how public institutions earn a place beside it without demanding monopoly.
