I’m am an actual real life scientist too (although not of the fungal variety). I wholeheartedly disagree with you that an important trait of scientists is to defer to experts. I think you have misunderstood our profession quite fundamentally if that is what you believe.

A fundamental trait of a good scientist is deference to facts, not people. As a scientist, you should focus your critical consideration on the particular statements made by individuals, hobbyist, expert or otherwise, and not on the individuals themselves. No doubt, the Saddest one is sometimes wrong, as we all are, but it is not scientific to reject his contributions simply because of who he is, or an argument he made in another context.