Today, the average computer programmer has only the vaguest notion of the genetic engineer's real work and is likely to fear the worst. It's not a matter of intelligence. Society and government have grown beyond what even the most brilliant individuals can conceive, or truly appreciate. We commonly mistrust what we don't understand. Democratic management requires informed voters.
People are amazingly bright and can understand what's necessary.
We have a problem getting enough information to base our understanding upon. It's a sound bite problem. Honorable politicians loath them, but they get us elected. People jump to conclusions. Every politician's utterance may be distorted and manipulated - a reason legislators site to justify closed caucuses.