I think that people want scientists to take a firm stand and then hold to that position no matter what. If they change their mind, it is seen as a sign of weakness and defeat, rather than adaptability and intelligence.
In the last presidential election in the US, John Kerry was called a "flip-flopper" because he was against the Iraq War, though he had originally voted to go to Iraq. This is probably one of the reasons why he lost the election. People demand the same stubbornness and resistance to change from their scientists, without understanding the most basic concepts behind the scientific process. They are extremely skeptical of new ideas, but most are uncritical of the old one. In my opinion, it is important to be critical of both new and old ideas.
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